By providing antioxidants and minerals, dark chocolate with a high cocoa content can help prevent heart disease when consumed in moderation. However, it might also have a lot of sugar and calories.
Dark chocolate contains numerous nutrients that can benefit your health.
It is made from the cacao tree’s seed and is one of the best antioxidant sources available.
Studies have shown that dark chocolate improves health and lowers the risk of heart disease.
Dark chocolate or cocoa has four health benefits that have been scientifically proven.
1.Very healthy
If you buy dark chocolate of high quality that contains a lot of cocoa, it is very healthy. It has a fair amount of soluble fibre and a lot of minerals.
Naturally, 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, is a lot and shouldn’t be eaten every day. These nutrients also contain 600 calories and a moderate amount of sugar.
Dark chocolate should only be consumed in moderation because of this.
The fatty acid profile of cocoa and dark chocolate is favourable. Stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid—also found in olive oil and a heart-healthy fat—make up the majority of the fats. Stearic acid has no effect on the body’s cholesterol. Even though palmitic acid makes up only one third of the calories in fat, it can make cholesterol levels go up. Due to its low caffeine content, dark chocolate is unlikely to keep you awake at night.
2.May improve blood flow and lower blood pressure
The flavonoids in dark chocolate can encourage the endothelium, the lining of the arteries, to produce nitric oxide (NO).
Signaling the arteries to relax is one of NO’s functions. This reduces blood flow resistance and, as a result, lowers blood pressure. Numerous controlled studies demonstrate that dark chocolate and cocoa can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, despite the typically mild effects.
However, take this with a grain of salt because a single study with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure found no effect. If a person is already receiving treatment for high blood pressure, adding cocoa flavanols to their diet may not provide them with any additional benefits.
3.May reduce heart disease risk
The compounds in dark chocolate appear to be particularly effective at preventing the oxidation of LDL. By preventing a significant buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, this should ultimately lower the risk of heart disease. In fact, research shows a pretty big improvement.
Over time, numerous studies have demonstrated that flavanol-rich chocolate or cocoa can reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. A review of studies shows that eating chocolate three times a week lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by 9 percent. The increased consumption of chocolate was not associated with any additional benefits.
Another review found that eating 45 grams of chocolate every week reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11%. Consuming more than 100 grams per week does not appear to have any positive health effects.
In a 2017 clinical trial, almonds—with or without dark chocolate—were found to lower LDL cholesterol among participants.
Although additional research is required to determine whether the chocolate reduced risk, all of these results appear promising.
4.May protect your skin from the sun
The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be beneficial to your skin. Flavanols can increase blood flow to the skin, reduce sun damage, and increase skin density and hydration. The minimal erythemal dose (MED) is the minimum amount of UVB rays required to cause skin redness 24 hours later.
It has been demonstrated that dark chocolate or cocoa with a high flavanol content can double MED after being consumed for 12 weeks. As a result, your skin is better protected from the sun.
In the days and weeks leading up to your beach vacation, you might want to consider eating more dark chocolate. However, consult your dermatologist or doctor before changing your skin care routine to include more dark chocolate. Also, keep in mind that chocolate cannot replace sun protection products and sunscreen.
5.Could Enhance Brain Function
The good news isn’t over yet. Additionally, dark chocolate may improve brain function. In young adults, it has been demonstrated that consuming cocoa with a high flavanol content increases blood flow to the brain. Cocoa appears to improve memory, verbal learning, and attention when consumed daily.
In older adults with mild cognitive impairment, cocoa flavonoids may also maintain cognitive function and lower the risk of dementia. However, additional research is needed.
In conclusion, there is ample evidence to suggest that cocoa can offer significant health benefits, particularly protection against heart disease. This may be because it contains stimulants like caffeine and theobromine, which may be a major reason why it can temporarily improve brain function.
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t eat a lot of chocolate every day because of this. It still has a lot of calories, so it’s easy to overeat.
Have a few squares and try to enjoy them after dinner. If you want the health benefits of cocoa without the calories of chocolate, think about making a hot cocoa without cream or sugar. Additionally, keep in mind that not all chocolate available for purchase is healthy.
Choose items of high quality: dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent cocoa. Take a look at this guide to choosing the best dark chocolate.