Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate

Chocolate not only tastes good but has health benefits too. Research conducted on this subject has brought to the fore information that will make anyone who loves chocolate very happy. The percentage that doesn’t might begin eating a square once in a while too and all that just because of the health benefits of eating chocolate.Chocolates, yummy chocolates! Chocolatl, was a spicy drink that can be traced back to the Aztec and Maya civilizations in Central America. At this time in history cocoa beans were very valuable and thus given as gifts on occasions that ranged from religious ceremonies to the times when a child came of age. Cocoa beans were also traded for other commodities such as ceremonial feathers, jade as well as cloth.

It was in the 1900’s that chocolate became widely available in America and that too because of the Industrial Revolution. In the past manufactures of chocolate concentrated on selling it as a fun snack food and for years people thought that it was only that. Recently scientists have studied cocoa beans and found out that it is a useful and beneficial product.

Yes, it’s true! Dr. David Katz, a professor at the University of Yale conducted a study on 45 adults. He first measured their blood pressure before they ate dark chocolate and then again two hours later only to find that the blood pressure of the participants had become lower after they had consumed the dark chocolate.

This study also revealed that not only had the pressure become lower but there had been increase in blood flow too. This happens in two ways, 1st the presence of chocolate in the system triggers the production of nitric oxide which causes blood vessels to relax and widen. The 2nd way in which chocolate helps blood flow is by discouraging platelets from sticking to one another. In this scenario the chance of blood clots and formation of plaque in the arteries in greatly reduced.

Chocolate contains flavanols. Flavanoids being compounds that are present in plants help them repair any damage and also protect them from environmental toxins. These same flavanoids also have a similar effect on the human body i.e. it acts as an antioxidant.

Despite all the information we have at our disposal scientists are yet to determine how much of flavanol consumption is important to seek antioxidant protection. Of course studies have shown that about a square of dark chocolate every few days is a good amount.

If you are feeling low it would be a good idea to consume some chocolate. Research has proven that chocolate promotes well being not only from the taste alone but also because it works on the human brain in such a way as to enhance mood.

I am sure that this question is most on your mind, well; there is some news for you. Chocolate contains three kinds of fat – 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid. The first is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also present in olive oil. Yes, the second is a saturated fat but research has revealed that this fat has a neutral effect on cholesterol. The third is a saturated fat and the only one to fear since it raises cholesterol and put a person at a risk of heart disease. This study reveals that only 1/3 of the fat that is found in dark chocolate is bad for your health. Now that you know all this, I am sure you will agree that 1/3 for something so yummy is not all that bad at all!

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