There is great news for chocolate lovers...Chocolate is good for
your health! Now, we are not talking here about a candy bar but
about real chocolate, the kind that contains at least 71% of real
cocoa. Something to remember when selecting chocolate is that the
darker it is, the less sugar it contains and the better it is for
you.
We are all aware of the emotional benefits of chocolate. By
liberating endorphins in the body, chocolate provides us with
feelings of comfort and well being, energy and pleasure. Some
surveyed women go as far a saying that they would prefer chocolate
to sex! No wonder with such a texture, rich color and taste,
chocolate is not only an aphrodisiac but also a pleasure for the
senses. In addition, chocolate also contains serotonin and caffeine
which both provide energy and promote good humor.
Pleasure aside, chocolate also holds beneficial health properties.
Chocolate's complex chemical composition offers a variety of
substances that the body needs to function properly and to prevent
disease.
Chocolate enhances cardiovascular health. Like red wine, the phenols
contained in dark chocolate help prevent coronary diseases. The
British Medical Journal reports that a daily portion of 100 grams of
dark chocolate reduces blood pressure and the occurrence of
cardiovascular incidents by 21%. These phenols are also rich in
antioxidants and they help neutralize free radicals produced by the
body or absorbed thought cigarette smoke and other sources of
pollution. Cocoa butter is already used in creams to heal scars and
burns. No wonder pharmaceutical companies are now exploring the
possibility of researching with chocolate to develop new medication
to counter cancers and osteoporosis.
Chocolate does contain fats but these are unsaturated and contribute
to reducing bad cholesterol and to increasing good cholesterol.
Chocolate is also an excellent source of magnesium. Should it
contain nuts, chocolate can become a great source phosphor and
vegetable iron.
One of the many benefits of living in our time is that there is a
plethora of organic and fair trade chocolates that are readily
available to us in natural health food and grocery stores. The
benefits of purchasing these types of chocolates abound but the most
obvious are that they do not contain organochlorine pesticides that
are usually used to treat traditional cocoa crops and that are
harmful not only to the consumer but also to the field worker.
Furthermore, purchasing fair trade chocolate ensures that the
(healthier) worker can benefit from improved working and living
conditions by receiving a fair salary for their work.
Like with everything however, chocolate must be consumed in good
measure. Chocolate increases caloric intake and energy level. This
can be good, provided these calories are burned. We might even
change the saying to "Some chocolate everyday keeps the doctor
away!"
Joanna Thanickal is a Health Consultant. Being amazed at the health
benefits of dark chocolate she now actively encourages eating
healthy chocolate. For more details go to:
http://www.bestchocolate4health.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Thanickal
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