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The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Updated on June 20, 2014
The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate
The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Your body is a creation of nature, and you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving day to express your gratitude to nature. You can do it every day by taking necessary precautions to stay fit and healthy, and preserve the creation of nature. And to do that, nature itself has provided you with plenty of options, and for that all you have to do is look at the right places. One such gift from nature is cacao plant whose seeds are used to manufacture chocolate which oozes with health benefits, and to be more precise it is dark chocolate which is chocked with components and ingredients which have outstanding health benefits for humans.

The health benefits of dark chocolate have also been appreciated by the American Chemical Society. A report has suggested that the components comprised in dark chocolate are effectively broken down and ferments by our gut bacteria, which turns them into anti-inflammatory compounds which are a boon for healthy human bodies. But having said that, it still is no excuse to keep munching dark chocolate all through the day as it also weighs heavy with calories, and you could have weight gain issues. Hence moderation is the keyword, you can eat maybe a square or two after dinner, and relish on it. But stay from junks, and eat quality organic dark chocolate which has at least 70% of cocoa content.

The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

As A Source of Antioxidants

Cocoa beans standout from other foods when it comes to antioxidant qualities, as they are tested to be more active, and have components like polyphenols and catechins, among others. The antioxidants are responsible for freeing the human body from radicals which damage the cells with oxidization. These radicals also instigate the aging process, and can cause diseases like cancer. Hence eating antioxidants such as dark chocolate can effectively slow down the aging process and protect you from diseases.

Rich Healthy Ingredients

Dark chocolate is a bundle of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals put together, and which have great benefits for your health. A high quality chocolate is richly seeped with copper and potassium which work as deterrents against cardiovascular diseases and prevent strokes. Then it has iron contents which provide adequate protection against anemia iron deficiency, and the magnesium in it boosts your immune system to fight against type 2 diabetes.

Dark chocolate also boosts of other high quantity of nutrients including potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium, plus it contains soluble fiber, and it also contains fats which are saturated and monounsaturated.

Better Blood Flow and Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate contains flavanols which works on the lining of arteries called endothelium, and produces Nitric Oxide gas. This gas has the potential to make the arteries relax hence they offer lesser resistance, and allows free flow of blood which makes sure that the blood pressure level is kept at normal.

Cocoa and Prebiotics Health Benefits

Chocolates and prebiotics together can work like hands in gloves and have the potential for improving your overall health condition, as polyphenols are effectively converted into anti-inflammatory compounds. It is also concluded that eating dark chocolates along with solid fruits which are rich-antioxidants, like pomegranate have great health benefits as well.

The carbohydrates which we consume in form of whole foods like onions and garlic are left undigested in our stomachs. But they are food which gut bacteria eats and flourishes upon. And these beneficial bacteria work as stimulants which are responsible for breaking down and fermenting the healthy substances in cocoa. Thus your core objective is to eat right to have plenty of probiotics in your stomach, and make gut bacteria flourish and they in return provide their magical effects on your body.

The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Have a Good Heart

Eating dark chocolate can bless you with a physically healthy heart. Modern studies have gone gaga over the benefits that dark chocolate have give to your heart. There are sermons from health dieticians which preach that eating dark chocolates 2-3 times a week is good enough to lower your blood pressure, stop clotting of blood, and prevents the condition called arteriosclerosis, which hardens the arteries. Stress is also given to the fact that dark chocolates being anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in character, it reduces risks of strokes considerably.

It is estimated that high level of chocolate intake can reduce cardiovascular disease by 37%, and strokes can be reduced by 29%. Dark chocolate catalyzes biochemical effect which disallows clumping of platelets, thus avoids blood to clot which could block the blood vessel and cause heart attacks.

Studies have further revealed that the specially formulated high-flavonol cocoa if given for at least one month to a diabetes patient, the conditions of the badly damaged blood vessels can be effectively brought back to normal, and thus prevent heart attacks.

Good for Brain

The benefits of dark chocolate are forwarded to your brain as well as it sets up a chain reaction. The consumption of high-flavanol cocoa which contains stimulating substances such as caffeine, and theobromine makes your blood flow better, and with improved blood flow you brain functioning also gets better. And better brain functioning dramatically reduces the risks of brain strokes. It also greatly enhances your cognitive power, hence it can work as a holy grail for elderly and those bogged down with mental impairments. Dark chocolate not only keeps you in good spirits, you are also blessed with better vocal fluency.

Not only you can impress your sweetheart with a dark chocolate and make your love bloom, it actually contains phenylethylamine (PEA), a chemical which your brain develops whenever you feel emotions of love engulfing you. This PEA instigates your brain to release chemical known as endorphins, which is the key ingredient to make you feel happier and satisfied.

The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Good for Teeth?

It is good news meant for kids that contrary to others sweeteners, dark chocolates are said to contain theobromine which hardens the tooth enamel. Which translate to that by eating chocolates, you actually lower the risk of getting tooth cavities, provided you take appropriate dental care.

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