Hi Guys,
A couple of days ago i heard a topic being discussed on radio and found it interesting... It was about Dark Chocolates. I can safely say that many of us love chocolates. Any time i travel, I spend quite a bit indulging in duty free chocolates.. It's just awesome.
On the other hand, we hear a lot of negative aspects about these amazing things. Well, to a certain extent it is quite true but NOT quite for DARK CHOCOLATES. It turns out that these guys are pretty good for health. After listening to the radio, I actually went on doing some research about it my self and discovered a lot of benefits.
Now what are Dark Chocolates? These are chocolates without the addition of Milk solids. In other words, it's milkless chocolates.
The main component in Dark Chocolates that is beneficial to health is Flavonoids. They are abundant in a large number of fruits and vegetables. Some of the most important dietary sources of bioflavonoids are citrus fruits, strawberries, beans, blueberries, onions, pulses, ginkgo biloba and spinach. Green, black as well as white tea are also very rich in flavonoids. Dark chocolates and red wine are two another important sources of these phytochemicals. Honey can also be an important source of flavonoids, depending on the types of flowers, from which nectar has been collected
Flavonoids health benefits can be attributed to their antioxidant properties which neutralize free radicals (unstable molecules that oxidizes our healthy body cells and thus causing cancer)
Here are some of the common benefits from consuming Dark Chocolate:-
Healthy Heart
Recent research has shown that there are various nutritional benefits of dark chocolates. Dark chocolate helps in relaxing the arteries, thereby lowering blood pressure. Chocolates contain a substance called polyphenol flavonoids which is also found in some fruits and vegetables like berries, tomatoes, soybeans green tea and red wine. But the percentage of polyphenol flavanoids present in dark chocolates is much higher, and they are very important to heart health as they deactivate free radicals. These free radicals increase the amount of bad cholesterol present in your blood, leading to clogged arteries.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
It has been discovered that having a bit of dark chocolate regularly can help in regulating blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels.
Feel Good Factor
There are certain compounds in dark chocolates that enhance our mood and induces pleasure. It contains theobromine which is a natural stimulant and is much milder than caffeine found in coffee. Dark chocolate promotes the production of endorphins and other chemicals in the brain. All these chemicals help to induce a sense of euphoria in a person, thereby uplifting his mood. Serotonin is also contained in dark chocolate which acts as an antidepressant.
Regulation of Blood Sugar
Unlike other sweets and candies, dark chocolate has a low glycemic index. This means that eating dark chocolate causes a slow release of blood sugar in your blood stream, preventing a sudden hike in blood sugar followed by a crash. The antioxidants present in dark chocolate helps in improving the body's sensitivity to insulin. For people with a high risk of diabetes, the flavonoids help to regulate blood sugar levels. Read more about health benefits of dark chocolates.
Prevents Cancer
Flavonoids being the predominant substance in Dark Chocolates neutralizes the Free Radicals in our body thuis eliminating oxidization of our cells.
So guys we now actually have a chance to consume chocolates daily... Isn't that great??...
But remember that only dark chocolates have these properties and most importantly, it should be taken in MODERATION!! Only 10gms a day !! Any more than that will cause bad effects to our body.
I guess this does not only apply to chocolates but anything in excess is detrimental to our health.. Right?
Till our next post... adios
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