#1 Treats Depression
The brain-protecting nutrients in chocolates help in curing depression. Flavanol in chocolates is responsible for making chocolate a perfect antidepressant. The feelings of anxiety and irritability might go away if dark chocolates are part of one’s diet and lifestyle. However, the same effect wasn’t happening with milk chocolates.
#2 Protects Your Heart
Moderate consumption of dark chocolate helps in maintaining blood pressure, thus creating win-win scenarios for both happiness and health. Paulina Uddin, MD who is an expert in cardiac treatment, believes in dark chocolates and good heart health. Her statement is true as dark chocolates are rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. Thus, help in warding off harm causing free radicals from our system.
#3 Helps with Diabetes
Polyphenols present in dark chocolates improves insulin sensitivity and controls blood sugar level according to the research paper published in Endocrine Abstracts. A paper published by the journal Appetite also confirms dark chocolate’s ability to control or at least delay the onset of Diabetes by 4-5 years. But too much of anything is good for nothing. And so, consume in moderation, once or twice per week.
#4 Increases HDL and lowers LDL
Cocoa polyphenols increase the concentration of HDL cholesterol while chocolate fatty acids modify the fatty acid composition of LDL, making it more resistant to oxidative damage. Choose chocolates with high cocoa content to help your body achieve its health and fitness goals super quick.
#5 Helps during Pregnancy
Consumption of organic dark chocolates has been proven to improve blood flow to the baby and mother during pregnancy. According to a 2010 study, dark chocolates are bound to decrease the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia associated with pregnancy. Also, dark chocolate consumption during the earlier and middle stages of pregnancy are connected with a positive temperament in the baby’s overall growth. But during the third trimester, eat dark chocolates in negligible quantities to stay on the safer side.
#6 Improves Your Brain Function
It increases blood flow to the brain and thus helps in treating older people with mild mental impairments. According to Healthline.Com, dark chocolates also help with improving verbal fluency. A definite reason to eat those dark devils before lectures, seminars, and maybe before recording a podcast too. Did you know???? The places where chocolate consumption is the highest have the most number of Nobel Prize recipients? Maybe a lucky coincidence but this info was published in a 2012 research paper by the New England Journal of Medicine.
#7 Improves Mood
If the concentration of cocoa is higher than 70%, there is a pretty good chance your love for dark chocolates has paid you back in the best way. According to a 2013 study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, dark chocolates stimulate your endorphin hormones, making your mind calmer and content. Thanks to the presence of another happy chemical serotonin which heightens the amount of joyfulness in the human body.
#8 Makes you Younger
Treats your skin against harmful UV radiation which is one of the reasons for premature ageing. The anti-inflammatory property of dark chocolates improves skin health by reducing wrinkles and increasing blood circulation in the skin. It releases enough copper, zinc, and iron in the body, thus helping the skin to breathe free while clearing off all the accumulated dead cells.
#9 Eye Health
You can consume milk chocolates occasionally but dark chocolates should be given more priority if you want to improve your eye health. A 2018 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that people who consumed a bar of dark chocolate was literally able to see better with tremendous improvements in contrast sensitivity and visual clarity after two hours than those who ate the most loved milk chocolates.
#10 Improves Physical Performance
According to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, one of the ingredients found in dark chocolate – epicatechin is able to increase the production of nitric oxide in the body. The level of oxygen usage will come down for athletes, thus being able to keep going on and on without getting tired. A definite athletic performance booster. The same reason why Aztecs were devouring chocolates before the war. Some say, Aztec ruler, Montezuma II had drunk up to 50 golden cups of liquor prepared from cocoa per day. It was considered a virile drink and powerful aphrodisiac. It strengthens your libido and makes your body stronger for all kinds of battles.
However, we don’t belong to the Aztecs Era nor we the god of love and so have it in moderation (30 g/day). Not just for chocolates but for all areas of life, don’t slip off. Balancing is an art, we must learn and relearn it every single day. Happy Chocolating!
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