Chocolate is one of the most well-loved food in the world, and now there are plenty of reasons to eat them—at least the dark variant. Read on to find out more about dark chocolate health benefits.
Rich in antioxidants
One of the most published dark chocolate health benefits is its antioxidant content. A lot of people drink or eat chocolates just for the taste but they don’t know it also contains flavanols. These flavanols are powerful antioxidants that help kill cancer-causing free radicals in the body. Antioxidants also keep the human body young. Those who don’t eat or drink chocolate, especially the dark variant, lose out on this benefit.
Lowers blood pressure
Amusingly enough, one of the best dark chocolate health benefits is enjoyed by those who actually suffer from high blood pressure. This is because dark chocolate, when stripped of its sugar and cream content, can actually help lower one’s blood pressure. If you have a tendency to have high blood pressure, simply nibble on a dark chocolate bar with 70% and up cocoa content. This means that chocolate itself is actually good for you. It’s the additives that sometimes make it very unhealthy.
Lowers bad cholesterol
Not all fat or cholesterol is bad for the body. There is HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol). For people who are prone to heart ailments, it’s all a matter of lowering bad cholesterol. Thankfully, it’s one of the best dark chocolate health benefits known to man. If your blood work shows high levels of bad cholesterol, simply nibble on a dark chocolate bar with high cocoa content.
Acts as an Anti-depressant
If you’ve been munching on a chocolate bar every time you’re depressed or feeling sad, there’s actually scientific fact now which can back up your “remedy”. Dark chocolate is a very good natural anti-depressant, and for those who have been tagged as compulsive eaters simply because they turn to chocolates when they’re down, this news couldn’t get any better.
Take note, though, that anti-depressant qualities are considered dark chocolate health benefits so try looking for chocolate variants without milk content. Milk can be quite fattening. If you can find the unsweetened chocolate variant too or at least ones with very little sugar in them you’re on the road to a healthier lifestyle.
Cleans up the arteries
Eating dark chocolates can also improve your cardiovascular health. There are antioxidants in chocolates that help sweep plaque off your arteries. It’s also rich in magnesium which is an important mineral to have if you want to keep your nervous and cardiovascular systems healthy. Magnesium in your diet can also promote a healthier bowel movement, so it’s definitely one of the food products you ought to include in your diets without guilt.
Prevents tooth decay
While very few people would believe that chocolate actually prevents tooth decay, recent studies have shown that it helps to stop the growth of streptococcus mutans, which is a bacteria found in oral cavities. Of course, sugar promotes these cavities, so don’t forget to brush your teeth after eating chocolates.
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