Why You Should be Eating Dark Chocolate

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Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that affect your health positively. It is made from the seed of the cacao tree, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants.

According to studies, dark chocolate can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease. 

Following are some of the health benefits of dark chocolate or cocoa that are supported by science and research.

 

Very nutritious: 

chocolate, caffeine, milk, dark chocolate

If you buy a high-quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, then it’s quite nutritious for human body. It contains soluble fiber and is loaded with minerals.

A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains:

  • 11 grams of fiber
  • 67% of the DV for iron
  • 58% of the DV for magnesium
  • 89% of the DV for copper
  • 98% of the DV for manganese

In addition, it has plenty amount of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. Of course, 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of dark chocolate is a fairly large amount and not something you should be consuming daily. 

For this reason, dark chocolate is best consumed in moderation. Dark chocolate also contains stimulants like caffeine, but it’s in a very small amount compared with caffene so it is unlikely to keep you awake at night.

 

Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure

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The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulates the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide. One of the functions of nitric oxide is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers the resistance to blood flow and therefore reduces blood pressure.

Many research and studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, though the effects are usually mild.

 

Reduce Risk of Heart Disease:

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The compounds in dark chocolate are highly protective against the oxidation of LDL.

In the long term, this causes much less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, resulting in a lower risk of heart diseases.

In fact, several long-term observational studies show a drastic improvement.In a study of 470 older men, cocoa was found to reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 50% over 15 years. 

Another study revealed that eating dark chocolate two or more times per week lowered the risk of having calcified plaque in the arteries by 32%. Eating chocolates less frequently than that had no effect.

Another research showed that eating dark chocolate more than five times per week lowered the risk of heart disease by 57%.

 

Protect your Skin from Sun

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The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin in sun. It protects against sun damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.

So, if you’re planning a beach vacation with friends or family, consider having some extra dark chocolate in the prior weeks and months. 


Improve Brain Function

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The good news isn’t over yet. Dark chocolate also improves the function of your brain.

One research of healthy volunteers showed that eating high flavanol cocoa for 5 days improved blood flow to the brain.

Cocoa also significantly improves cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. It also improves verbal fluency and several risk factors for disease, as well. 

Additionally, cocoa contains caffeine, which may be a key reason why it can improve brain function in the short term 

 

There is considerable evidence that cocoa can provide powerful health benefits but this doesn’t mean you should go all out and consume lots of chocolate every day. It’s loaded with calories. So, have a square or two after dinner. And if you want to enjoy the benefits of cocoa without the calories in chocolate, consider making a hot cocoa without any cream or sugar. 

 

If you liked this article and find this informative, kindly leave a comment and share it with your loved ones to let them know the benefits of dark chocolate. And don’t forget to visit our Instagram page and press that follow button. 

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