Proven Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate That You Should Know Before Eating
Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can have positive effects on your health.
It is made from the seed of the cacao tree, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants.
Studies show that dark chocolate can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease as well.
Here are 6 health benefits of dark chocolate or cocoa that are supported by science.
1. Very nutritious : Nutritional value
If you buy good quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, then it’s quite nutritious.
It contains a decent amount of soluble fiber and is loaded with minerals too.
A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with about 70–80% cocoa contains :
11 grams of fiber
67% of the DV for iron
58% of the DV for magnesium
89% of the DV for copper
98% of the DV for manganese
Also, it contains plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.
But, 100 grams (3.5 ounces) is a fairly large amount and not something you should be consuming daily for healthy living. These nutrients also come with approximately 600 calories and moderate amounts of sugar.
For this reason, dark chocolate is best consumed in moderation.
Dark chocolate also contains some stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine, but it’s unlikely to keep you awake at night, as the amount of caffeine is very small compared with coffee.
2. Powerful source of antioxidants
It is worth mentioning that raw, unprocessed cocoa beans are among the highest-scoring foods that have been tested for the antioxidants.
Dark chocolate is loaded with many organic compounds that are biologically active and function as antioxidants.
These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins, etc among others.
One study showed that cocoa and dark chocolate had more antioxidant activity, polyphenols, and flavanols compared to any other fruits tested, which included blueberries and acai berries.
3. May improve blood flow and lower blood pressure
The flavanols in dark chocolate can also stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide.
One of the functions of nitric oxide is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers the resistance to blood flow and therefore reduces blood pressure.
Various studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, but the effects are usually mild.
4. May reduce heart disease risk
The compounds present in dark chocolate appear to be highly protective against the oxidation of LDL.
In the long term, this should cause much less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, which would be resulting in a lower risk of heart disease.
In fact, several long-term observational studies also show a fairly drastic improvement.
In a study of 460 older men, cocoa was found to reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 45-50% over 15 years.
Another study revealed that eating chocolate once or two times per week lowered the risk of having calcified plaque in the arteries by 30%.
Eating chocolate less frequently had no effect.
Another study showed that eating dark chocolate more than five times per week lowered the risk of heart disease by 55%.
5. May protect your skin from the sun
The bioactive compounds present in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin.
The flavanols can protect you from sun damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.
The minimal erythemal dose (MED) is the minimum amount of UVB rays required to cause redness in the skin 24 hours after exposure to sun.
In one study of 32 people, the MED more than doubled after consuming dark chocolate high in flavanols for 12 weeks.
If you’re a beach lover and planning a beach vacation, consider enjoying some extra dark chocolate in the prior weeks and months. But check yourself with your doctor or dermatologist before forgoing your normal skin care routine in favor of more dark chocolates.
6. Could improve brain function
haha, The good news isn’t over yet. Dark chocolate may also improve the function of your brain, as well.
One study of healthy volunteers showed that eating high flavanol cocoa for 1 week improved blood flow to the brain.
Cocoa may also slightly improve cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, it may improve verbal fluency and several risk factors for disease, as well.
Additionally, cocoa contains stimulant substances such as caffeine and theobromine, which may be a key reason why it can improve brain function in the short term.
Also Read : 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey
and Use of Honey in Daily Life
TAKEAWAY :
There is considerable evidence that cocoa can provide powerful health benefits, from being especially protective against heart disease.
Please note - Of course, this doesn’t mean you should consume lots of chocolate every day. It’s still loaded with calories.
Also, note that a lot of the chocolates on the market is not healthy.
Choose quality stuff: dark chocolate with 65% or higher cocoa content. You should check out the guide on how to find the best dark chocolate.
Dark chocolates typically contain some sugar, but the amounts are usually small, different in different chocolates and the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it will contain.
You can shop for dark chocolate at local grocers or online.