The Health Benefits of Chocolate

The Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate For centuries, drinking cocoa has been one of the favorite sweet-tasting treat in the world and until not to a fault long ago, also considered un healthy. Recent studies show that cacao, which coffee tree is made, contains potent antioxidants that groundwork actually be beneficial to our health. Cacao is derived from the beans of Theobroma cacao, a maneuver native to South America (1). Historically cacao was being employ by ancient people with mixed medicinal purposes such as treatment of inflammations, amount of money palpitation, and proscribeion of infections.Cacao is an abundant source of flavonoids, a probable antioxidant, which endure be beneficial to ones health. The benefits greatly view on the type of chocolate that is consumed and the percentage of cacao bean it has. The high percentage of cacao, more health is the chocolate. The best chocolate is the darkest, which contains 60 to 70 percentage of cacao and small amount o f sugar. Dark chocolate is proven to be good for the heart. A small bar of it every solar day helps the cardiovascular system run well.In recent study, it has been demonstrated that the flavonoids present in cacao stimulate the production of nitric oxid (NO) which helps the dilatation of the demarcation vessels allowing the diffuse linage flow to the heart and brain reducing the agate line pressure(2). When blood pressure is lowered, there is a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Additionally, the flavanoids affect the cholesterol decreasing the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your blood and increasing significantly the good cholesterol (HDL), which cleans and mops up the blood vessels from the ruinous fats.Also, dark chocolate improves the bodys ability to use insulin which helps to prevent Type-II diabetes, the type that is caused by the bodys inability to deal with sugar. burnt umber can amplify nitric oxide levels to help with insulin-stimulated uptake of blood sugars. The increase in nitric oxide also improves the health of the blood vessels, limiting the monetary value of diabetes on the small vessels. Like the heart and blood vessels, dark chocolate consumption can be good for the brain.More recently, it was discovered that a fuse in dark chocolate, called epicatechin (a flavonoid), may decrease the risk of stroke by increasing cellular augurys that shield nerve cells from damage. A stroke is standardized to a heart attack, but occurs when the blood supply to your brain becomes stop or reduced. This can cause your brain cells to begin to die deep down minutes because it deprives your brain of necessary oxygen and nutrients.Furthermore, dark chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine that stimulates the loathsome system giving to people a looking of pleasure, serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant which makes you feel good after eating chocolate and theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants that can increase your mental a wareness. Good for the memory, flavanoids, can help hike brain power and memory. The beneficial brain effects appear to give from flavanoids impact on the blood system. In essence, the chemicals stimulate an increase of blood flow to the brain.Chocolate may also prevent or slow the aerophilous damage to our body. The antioxidant flavonoid helps protect the skin against suns harmful UV rays and pollution, soothes inflammation such as acne, and prevents wrinkles by increasing the blood flow, restoring collagen and ameliorate the appearance of the skin. (3) Also, some studies conducted in Europe, Asia, and North America have embed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids from chocolate have lower incidents of cancer than those who eat fewer flavonoids. Lastly, dark chocolate can help reduce weight gain in the body.Rich in fiber, dark chocolate can actually help keep you full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. It also can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat. To Sum up, eating dark chocolate has various health benefits. It contains high concentrations of beneficial flavonoids that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancer. However it should be consumed in moderation to start the full potential of these health benefits. References 1. Dillinger TL, Barriga P, Escarcega S, et al. Food of the gods cure for humanity?A cultural history of the medicinal and ritual use of chocolate. J Nutr 2000 130(suppl)2057S2072S 2. http//www. aarp. org/health/medical- investigate/info-03-2011/dark-chocolate-can-help-lower-your-blood-pressure. html 3. http//www. cnn. com/2006/HEALTH/12/20/health. chocolate/ 4. http//img. pathfinder. gr/clubs/files/4093/6835. pdf 5. http//mydrchocolate. soundconcepts. com/research/rs_rwhateat. htmcardio 6. http//www. dark-chocolate-antioxidant. com/ 7. http//EzineArticles. com/844267 8. http//mydrchocolate. soundconcepts. com/research/rs_rwhateat. h tmother