Health Benefits of Chocolate - It's Good for you!

Eat Chocolate for a Healthy Lifestyle

Are you a chocolate lover? Recent studies show that adding a little chocolate to your diet is a good thing. chocolate contains flavonoids simlar to those in green tea and may help decrease blood pressure and defend against the ravages of free radicals in our bodies, while boosting our immune systems.

Here are just a few of the benefits of eating or drinking chocolate: 

• Helps decrease blood pressure and improves circulation 
• Defends the body against destructive molecules called free radicals, which can trigger cancer, heart disease and strokes
• Chocolate has phenols-the same antioxidants in wine-help prevent arteriosclerosis
• Contains a chemical called phenyl ethylamine (PEA)- a mild mood elevator-produced by the brain if people are happy or in love
• the cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat. This “good fat” like that found in olive oil is thought to raise good cholesterol (HDL).
• dark chocolate contains 3 times the catechins found in tea-these are a flavonoid which could help prevent heart disease and boosts the immune system.

One recent study in Japan showed that chocolate contains antibacterial agents which can help fight tooth decay. However, if you are going to eat chocolate, stick to solid, rich chocolate. Mass-produced chocolate bars and mixes contain sugar, which causes tooth decay and increases empty calories.

One Harvard study found that men who ate chocolate lived an average of one year longer than those who didn’t eat chocolate.

Nutrients in chocolate

• vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E
• Calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, and fluorine.
• copper and magnesium which are good for the heart

What type of chocolate should you eat?

Minimally processed dark chocolate is preferable to milk chocolate, which often contains sugar, dairy products and other additives. Choose dark chocolates with a higher percentage of cocoa content. 

Calories in chocolate 

If you are watching your weight, chocolate is best enjoyed in moderation. One ounce of solid chocolate contains about 150 calories and can be about 50 percent fat.  Milk chocolate is higher in calories than dark chocolate.

Some people feel, however, that drinking a cup of hot chocolate before a meal will decrease their appetite. 

Myths about chocolate

Chocolate and acne- Studies show that eating chocolate does not cause acne and not eating chocolate won’t keep one from suffering from acne. Most doctors now believe that diet isn’t not linked to acne.

Caffeine in chocolate

One ounce of milk chocolate contains about the same amount of caffeine as one cup of decaf coffee. One study showed the smell of chocolate may actually relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain.

The key to adding chocolate to your diet is to do so in moderation. Try one ounce three times a week. Make it a treat. Sit and really enjoy the taste and feelings of chocolate.

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