Monday 27 October 2014

D Is For Dark Chocolate



The health benefits of dark chocolate have long been lauded - of course we love chocolate in all shapes and forms but if something so delicious is also supposed to be so healthy then we are totally on board.

Dark Chocolate May Lower The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

The compounds in chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, seems to be protective against the oxidation of LDL. In a study of approximately 470 elderly men, cocoa was found to decrease the risk of cardiovascular death by 50% over a 15 year period. And in a 9 year study of more than 31,000 in Sweden, those who ate a couple of servings of dark chocolate every week reduced their risk of heart failure by as much as a third.

Dark Chocolate Is Full Of Antioxidants

Dark chocolate is full of wonderful antioxidants including flavanols, polyphenols and catchins. One recent study revealed that both cocoa and chocolate consisted of more polyphenols and flavanols over fruits they trialled such as blueberries and acai berries.

Dark Chocolate May Reduce Blood Pressure and Boost Insulin Sensitivity

Researchers recently fed 15 healthy people either 3 ounces of dark chocolate or white chocolate, which contains no flavanol or phytochemicals, for a period of 15 days. This Italian study discovered that insulin resistance was significantly reduced in those who ate the dark chocolate - great news for diabetics.

Dark Chocolate Seemingly Creates Happy Children

Women who ate chocolate on a daily basis while pregnant reported they were able to handle stress easier than women who had no chocolate at all.  Also a Finnish study found that babies of mums who did eat chocolate were overall much happier and smiled more.

Dark Chocolate May Help People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

In a recent study in England, 1.5 ounces of 85% dark chocolate was given to a number of adults who suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome. They were fed dark chocolate every day for a period of eight weeks. In the study, the individuals reported feeling less tired after consuming the dark chocolate.

Note that these studies are just a handful of those undertaken by the scientific communities and there are many more other health benefits reported by eating dark chocolate. I must confess I am seriously liking the sound of these chocolate health studies, I wonder how I can find myself on the receiving end of one of these!

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