Five health benefits of Chocolate
From raising your mood to coughing, chocolate has surprising benefits! However, it is also important to choose dark chocolate with as high a cacao content as possible.
It has been scientifically proven that eating chocolate makes you feel better thanks to the mixed effects of mood-boosting chemicals such as caffeine, theobromine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, and the delicious taste. It is important to choose dark chocolate with as high a cocoa content as possible, which has health benefits over milk chocolate, is low in fat and contains a lot of antioxidants.
It has been scientifically proven that eating chocolate makes you feel better thanks to the mixed effects of mood-boosting chemicals such as caffeine, theobromine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, and the delicious taste. It is important to choose dark chocolate with as high a cocoa content as possible, which has health benefits over milk chocolate, is low in fat and contains a lot of antioxidants.
Did you know that a small amount of dark chocolate can improve your health, from raising your mood to coughing?
Together with AXA PPP Healthcare quasi-nutritionist Seatanna Cooper, I've summarized five health benefits of eating chocolate (2-3 pieces) as part of a balanced diet.
1. Raise your mood
Experts mention it provokes the same mood that you can feel when you fall in love. The taste, aroma and texture of chocolate helps in stimulating the part of the brain that controls the good mood. It also contains the amino acid cryptophan, which helps in stimulating the production of serotonin, a natural antidepressant component of the brain.
2. Helps with heart health
Eeating chocolate helps in reducing blood pressure, diluting blood (reduces the risk of stroke), and it has anti-inflammatory effects. As per Cooper, this is due to the effects of flavonoids, which are abundant in chocolate. "Flavonoids are thought to stimulate the body to make more nitric oxide, which helps to open and relax blood vessels and help lower blood pressure."
3. Protect the arteries
Flavonoids in chocolate also help stop the production of (bad) cholesterol LDL by oxidation and prevent arterial blockage. Flavonoids are found in cocoa butter contain more than 50% of a rare type of saturated acid called stearic acid, that not only does not raise bad cholesterol levels, but sometimes helps in raising good cholesterol levels, which have a protective effect.
4. Calm the cough
Chocolate also contains a chemical called theobromine, which has been shown to suppress coughing by acting on the vagus nerve, which transmits messages from the central nervous system to the brain.
5. Good for the brain
Catkin, found in cacao and green tea, is also thought to help prevent the formation of sticky proteins in the brain, also known as amyloid plaques, which increase with Alzheimer's disease.
"Everyone knows that foods that are too high in sugar and fat can cause diabetes and other problems, but for chocolate lovers, it's good that a small amount of chocolate has health benefits. News. Sometimes you don't have to feel guilty about pampering your desire to eat as long as it's part of a balanced diet. "
Experts mention it provokes the same mood that you can feel when you fall in love. The taste, aroma and texture of chocolate helps in stimulating the part of the brain that controls the good mood. It also contains the amino acid cryptophan, which helps in stimulating the production of serotonin, a natural antidepressant component of the brain.
2. Helps with heart health
Eeating chocolate helps in reducing blood pressure, diluting blood (reduces the risk of stroke), and it has anti-inflammatory effects. As per Cooper, this is due to the effects of flavonoids, which are abundant in chocolate. "Flavonoids are thought to stimulate the body to make more nitric oxide, which helps to open and relax blood vessels and help lower blood pressure."
3. Protect the arteries
Flavonoids in chocolate also help stop the production of (bad) cholesterol LDL by oxidation and prevent arterial blockage. Flavonoids are found in cocoa butter contain more than 50% of a rare type of saturated acid called stearic acid, that not only does not raise bad cholesterol levels, but sometimes helps in raising good cholesterol levels, which have a protective effect.
4. Calm the cough
Chocolate also contains a chemical called theobromine, which has been shown to suppress coughing by acting on the vagus nerve, which transmits messages from the central nervous system to the brain.
5. Good for the brain
Catkin, found in cacao and green tea, is also thought to help prevent the formation of sticky proteins in the brain, also known as amyloid plaques, which increase with Alzheimer's disease.
"Everyone knows that foods that are too high in sugar and fat can cause diabetes and other problems, but for chocolate lovers, it's good that a small amount of chocolate has health benefits. News. Sometimes you don't have to feel guilty about pampering your desire to eat as long as it's part of a balanced diet. "
What type of chocolate is best?
Generally, darker chocolate (cacao content of 70% or more) has a higher flavonoid content. Flavonoids are found in broccoli, onions and fruits in addition to tea and help prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease.
"Dark chocolate labeled cocoa beans, cocoa, chocolate liqueur, and cocoa mass in the ingredient list tends to contain more flavonoids, so check the label. Milk chocolate has less flavonoids. It's not included, and it's not in white chocolate at all, "Cooper said.
Is chocolate good for snacks?
Surprisingly, dark chocolate is considered a low GI food and doesn't raise blood sugar sharply after a meal, so a small bar is perfect for an inter-meal snack. This is because the fat contained in dark chocolate slows down sugar absorption.
Caffeine in chocolate has also been found to temporarily increase concentration and energy. However, if you're suppressing caffeine intake, don't forget that chocolate contains caffeine!
Before jumping to the chocolate bar at hand, it's best to think of chocolate as a "reward" rather than a health food. Eating a small amount of chocolate with a healthy and balanced diet will not lead to weight gain and will never hurt you.
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