We know you enjoy the melting of a rich chocolate in your mouth without feeling guilty. But the health conscious people around you may often make you feel guilty and also tell you to cut down the number of chocolates you enjoy. Well, you can’t ignore them totally because they are true to some extent. Most of the chocolate candies found in grocery stores are given additives including caffeine, unwholesome fats, processed sugars, fillers and even waxes. Nobody will say that these ingredients are healthy for you. Moreover, the process of dutching makes the chocolates bitter thereby losing at least half of their antioxidants. As a result, the qualities of chocolates are overshadowed by the unhealthy ingredients. However, we don’t have the usual tell tale stories for you about chocolates. We are here to tell you the facts about chocolates that will keep you motivating to enjoy the mouth-watering and incredible taste of chocolates.

As a matter of fact and the result of many research carried out by scientists, dark chocolates have a list of health benefits. Here it is:

• Improves cardiovascular function (that helps reduce heart attacks)
• Helps control blood sugar
• High in fiber for regularity in the stool
• Helps regulate blood pressure
• Helps liver function
• Helps kidney function
• Increases respiratory function (asthma, breathing)
• Helps stop joint inflammation (like a breathing inhibitor)
• Histamine blocker (helps alleviate allergies)
• Appetite suppressant (helps weight loss)
• Increases serotonin levels (fights depression)
• Decreases LDL “bad” cholesterol (may help decrease chance of a stroke
• Lowers gum disease and cavities
• Sexual stimulant (increases blood flow like Viagra)

You know very well that chocolate is manufactured from cocoa plant that is packed with potent antioxidants called flavonoids. These are the same natural chemicals found in fruits and vegetables that have great positive health effects. But do you know that the cocoa beans have the highest antioxidant value (with over 300 chemically identifiable compounds) on Earth? What’s more? These Flavonoids benefit everything from blood vessels, heart and brain to exercise endurance and long life and help clear cholesterol from arteries and reduce inflammation.

When enjoyed in moderation, dark chocolate can easily serve as the dessert equivalent of an extra serving of vegetables. So chocolates lovers, enjoy your chocolates, but make them dark!

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 10th, 2008 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.