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Chocolate and health! 10 reasons why you should eat it daily!

 

Black fans' favorite and the favorite dessert for adults and kids! Who among us does not like chocolate? I think it's the only thing everyone has ever loved!

Dark chocolate

But despite this, the guilt feeling when consumed constantly haunts us! For fear that the high calories in it may affect weight or health!

But it seems that there are several benefits to be missed when following a strict diet over sweets! And because the best of all is in the middle, in this article we review 10 benefits of eating chocolate in moderation!

Chocolate bar

Before reviewing the benefits, studies confirm that the desired benefits of eating a chocolate bar are achieved at a greater rate the higher the cocoa content in it, and it is recommended that it exceed 70%.

10 health benefits of eating chocolate every day!

Chocolate can be nutritious!

Eating chocolate is useful

If you buy high-quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, it is actually very nutritious!

Chocolate contains an adequate amount of soluble fiber and is full of minerals. To give you an idea, a 100-gram bar of 70-85% dark chocolate contains: 11 grams of fiber, 67% of the recommended daily intake (RDA) for iron, 58% of the RDA for magnesium, and 89% of the RDA for copper. , 98% of the RDA is for manganese.

It also contains a lot of potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. The higher the cocoa content in percentage, the lower the sugar content.

Helps fight fatigue and anxiety

A small study in 10 participants at Hull York School of Medicine found that those who consumed 50 grams of 85% dark chocolate reported experiencing fewer symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, and depression than those who consumed fake chocolate with lower antioxidant content.

Additionally, chocolate can help combat the mood swings caused by the discomfort of your period

According to Elizabeth Murray, clinical therapist from Kotex Health, "Chocolate contains magnesium which can help reduce cramps and increase energy."

Improve blood flow

chocolate

A 2008 study conducted at Harvard University forced test subjects to undergo "two weeks of eating improved chocolate."

After two weeks of filling the face with chocolate, they found that the dessert helps the study participants' blood flow through the central arteries of the brain.

Quite simply, more chocolate means more blood to your brain and reduces the likelihood of developing blood clots, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attacks.

Improving mental skills

According to a study by British psychologists, flavanols, a type of flavonoid found in cocoa, helped people with their mathematical calculations.

Participants had an easier time counting down from a random number between 800 and 999 after drinking a cup of hot cocoa than a Class II who was not given cocoa.

The British Telegraph reported that "the results indicate that students who over-eat cocoa when reviewing for exams may really benefit and get higher marks."

Is there something that chocolate cannot do?

Protect the skin from sun damage

Eat chocolate

The bioactive compounds in a dark chocolate bar may also be beneficial for the skin.

Flavonols can protect against damage from sunlight, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.

The minimum dose of erythema (MED) is the minimum amount of UV rays needed to cause redness of the skin, 24 hours after exposure to sunlight.

In one study of 30 people, MED doubled after consuming dark chocolate high in flavanols for 12 weeks.

So, if you are planning a beach vacation, you might consider eating dark chocolate in the preceding weeks and months.

Chocolate can help relieve a cough

How did we not hear about this before? The best way to get rid of a cough is chocolate.

That's because one of the chemical components of the candy is terpromine, which helps reduce the activity of the vagus nerve - the part of the brain that causes coughing attacks.

Scientists are even working on a cough suppressant drug that uses thyrbromine in place of the common cough medicine, codeine.

Help sharpen thinking and develop the mind

A man eats chocolate

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that cocoa flavanols are linked to improved thinking skills.

Likewise, Italian researchers tested the effects of cocoa flavanols on 90 healthy people between the ages of 61 and 85 whose memories and thinking skills were in good shape for their ages.

Participants drank a special drink of cocoa flavanols every day. The first group contained a small amount (48 mg per day), another group contained a medium amount (520 mg), and the third group contained a high amount (993 mg).

After eight weeks, people who consumed moderate and high amounts of cocoa flavanols each day were noticed to perform higher on tests that measure attention, executive function and memory.

Chocolate protects the brain

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that dark chocolate protects brain cells from damage from stroke.

Scientists said the substance Epicatechin in chocolate helped significantly reduce brain damage and trauma in mice with strokes.

Likewise, another study by the Salk Institute in California found that the same compound, an epicatechin, improved the memory of mice.

Prevent liver damage

Cocoa powder

The beneficial effects of chocolate on blood pressure come from its high content of flavanols and nitrous oxide that dilate blood vessels.

High blood pressure in the liver veins is thought to be linked to liver damage and chronic liver disease. Early research shows that dark chocolate improves blood flow to the liver, and there are studies right now looking at whether cocoa can prevent liver damage.

Increase life expectancy

Harvard experts found that eating chocolate adds two years to life expectancy.

One of the oldest women who ever lived, Jane Louise Calment turned 122 years old and ate more than a kilo of dark chocolate every week!

Additional benefits ..

Chocolate improves memory

Rich in antioxidants: Cocoa and dark chocolate contain a variety of powerful antioxidants. In fact, they contain more antioxidants than any other food!

Raises HDL Cholesterol: Cocoa improves many important risk factors for disease. It reduces the susceptibility of LDL to oxidative damage while increasing HDL and improving insulin sensitivity.

Conclusion:

Chocolate bars

There is ample evidence that cocoa can provide powerful health benefits, especially as it protects against heart disease. Of course, this does not mean that you should eat a lot of chocolate every day. It is still loaded with calories and creamy.

Maybe eating a square or two after dinner is both good and indescribable fun. If you want the benefits of cocoa without the calories, consider making hot cocoa without any cream or sugar.

Chocolate is one of the few foods that taste great while providing significant health benefits.

But before you run out to the grocery store to eat a whole chocolate, remember that most of the milk chocolate you find in the supermarket is heavily processed which means it has lost many of its health benefits and contains high levels of sugar. 


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