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Who doesn’t like chocolate? Some of it is good for us while some of it are bad. Lets go to the good part . Dark chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants and flavanols. Made from cacao tree seeds, this sweet treat lowers the risk of heart disease and has many nutritional benefits.
Dark chocolate has organic compounds that are active when in the body and act as antioxidants – specifically flavanols, polyphenols and catechins. Cocoa has one of the highest levels of oxygen radical absorbance capacity, which measures the antioxidant activity.
Helps in healthy blood flow
The flavanols can help healthy blood flow by stimulating the lining of the arteries which produces nitric oxide which in turn sends signals to make the arteries relax. Those relaxed arteries lower blood flow resistance which decreases the blood pressure.
Helps in reducing the heart disease
When cholesterol oxidises, it can lodge in the arteries and eventually cause heart disease. The compounds in the dark chocolate protect the body from this oxidation.
Helps in controlling cholesterol
Dark chocolate also contains certain compounds, such as polyphenols and theobromine that lowers the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol).
Anti-inflammatory effects
Inflammation is a part of body’s natural immune response to germs and other harmful substances. However, chronic inflammation can damage the cells and tissues and increase the risk of some serious health conditions like diabetes, arthritis and also certain types of cancer. Consuming dark chocolate significantly reduces the inflammatory biomarkers in type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Brain function
Eating dark chocolate improves brain functions and helps in prevention of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, dementia etc.
High in vitamins and minerals
Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support our health. The copper and potassium in dark chocolate helps prevent against stroke and cardiovascular diseases. The iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anaemia and the magnesium in chocolate helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol.
However it is not recommended to eat too much dark chocolates since its also high in calories and saturated fats . its better to stick to one square or two daily. But if one has chocolate cravings everyday then opting for a delicious apple is the best choice.
