Dark Chocolate Is Excellent For Your Health


Black or dark chocolate is made out of roasted cocoa beans of the cocoa tree, fat and sugar, including no milk, unlike milk chocolate, and has bitter sweet taste. It can be a healthy treat as long as you choose wisely and eat in moderation as it comes with some calories, and moderate amounts of sugar. It is one of the best antioxidants containing other nutrients such as potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, soluble fiber, iron, copper, and magnesium. These are the benefits of dark chocolate:

  • Reduces blood pressure – the flavanol present in the cocoa reduces blood pressure and improves blood flow to your heart, and it also stimulates the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide which signals the arteries to relax lowering the resistance to blood flow. Lower blood pressure decreases the risks of heart diseases, cognitive decline, stroke, and dementia.
  • Boosts brain power – it improves short-term memory and general alertness levels for short periods; the high amount of flavanol improves brain function for people who have sleeping deprivation, and slow effects of aging by increasing circulation. Also, it improves memory recall, concentration, and response time.
  • Relieves stress – it increases the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin which acts like a natural antidepressant; it improves the disposition of people who experience higher levels of stress. Eating 1.4 ounces a day for 2 weeks can reduce the stress hormone levels in people feeling highly stressed. It has magnesium which helps fight stress, depression, irritability, fatigue. Make sure it contains 85% cocoa.
  • Prevents stroke – flavonoids reduces blood thickness and prevents blood clotting that helps stave off heart attacks and strokes. Eat one bar of dark chocolate once a week to improve blood flow in the brain and cut the risk of stroke.
  • Lowers cholesterol level – it reduces LDL or low-density lipoprotein level in the blood which can clog the veins and inner walls of the arteries and inhibit proper functioning; it prevents oxidization of LDL reducing the risk of strokes and heart attacks; it also increases the good cholesterol level.
  • Treats diarrhea – flavonoids bind to and inhabit the protein in the intestines called CFTR which regulate fluid secretion in the small intestine resulting in quick relief from diarrhea symptoms.
  • Keeps your skin healthy – the antioxidants it contains protect the skin from free radical damage that cause oxidative damage to cells; it also protects the skin from ultraviolet rays which are the main causes for sunburn and skin cancer; reduces skin roughness and scaling improving hydration and complexion.
  • Controls blood sugar – it prevents diabetes as it increases insulin sensitivity; the flavonoids increase nitric oxide production that reduce insulin resistance helping your body use insulin efficiently; it controls blood sugar levels due to low glycemic index.
  • Aids weight loss – it is rich in fiber that helps you feeling full for a longer period of time; it lessens fatty, sweet and salty foods cravings; slows down digestion due to the antioxidants; it revives metabolism to burn more calories and fat.
  • Heals persistent coughing – theobromine helps curb soughing relaxing the nerve which triggers coughs; it has no adverse effects and the central nervous and cardiovascular systems are not affected unlike many cough medicines, plus the dark chocolate won’t make you drowsy.
    • Even though it is healthy, you must not consume lots of dark chocolate daily as it is loaded in calories which can have adverse effects on your health.