Chocolate is one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world, and many foods involving chocolate exist, such desserts including cakes, pudding, chocolate turtles, mousse, chocolate brownies, and chocolate chip cookies.
Many candies are filled with or coated with sweetened chocolate example is the chocolate bars which are made of ingredients coated in chocolate and are eaten as snacks.
Here are some of the Medical benefits of eating a chocolate bar:
Antioxidant Function
The dark chocolate contains several chemical compounds that have some antioxidant properties and function to eliminate bad oxygen radicals from the body, these chemicals include flavanols and polyphenols. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress and have significant benefits in reducing ageing due to oxidative stress and can help prevent skin cancers caused by this free oxygen radicals.
Improve Brain function
Eating chocolate may improve brain function and help prevent neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Studies suggest that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself, particularly in response to injury and disease.
Blood pressure
The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulate nitric oxide production in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to dilate, or widen, which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
A 2015 study help researchers found that participants who ate 25 grams of dark chocolate daily for 8 weeks had significantly lower blood. The beneficial effects of dark chocolate on blood pressure might be more significant in older people and those with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, as opposed to younger, healthy individuals.
Helps Regulate Blood Cholesterol
Dark chocolate also contains certain compounds, such as polyphenols and theobromine, that may lower levels of LDL cholesterol which is the bad cholesterol in the body that in found mostly in obesity and increase levels of HDL cholesterol or the good cholesterol which is important for proper body function and in Immunity.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Inflammation is part of the body’s natural immune response to injury or disease state. However, chronic inflammation can damage cells and tissues and may increase the risk of some health conditions such as arthritis, and certain types of cancer.
Dark chocolate contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body and may help prevent or reduce incidence of skin or other form of cancer.
Brain Function
Eating dark chocolate may improve brain function and help prevent neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Studies suggest that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself, particularly in response to injury and disease.
Nutritional Benefits
According to the United States Department of AgricultureTrusted Source, a 101-g bar of dark chocolate with 70–85 percent cocoa solids provides:
- 604 calories
- 7.87 g of protein
- 43.06 g of fat
- 46.36 g of carbohydrates
- 11.00 g of dietary fiber
- 24.23 g of sugar
- 12.02 milligrams (mg) of iron
- 230.00 mg of magnesium
- 3.34 mg of zinc.
Prevent Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance can cause abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and this occurs when the body stop responding to Insulin. A 6-month study from 2018 examined the relationship between regular dark chocolate consumption and blood glucose levels among Hispanic individuals. The research findings suggest that eating 48 g of 70-percent dark chocolate each day may help lower fasting glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance.
Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease
Regularly eating dark chocolate may help in reducing a person’s likelihood of developing heart disease in the future. Some of the compounds in dark chocolate, specifically flavanols, affect two major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure and high cholesterol. By regulating this factors it may help prevent heart Disease.
In summary: The health benefits of eating chocolate come primarily from the flavanols present in the cacao solids which is found mostly in dark chocolate, it should also be noted that however, flavanol content varies among dark chocolate products. Even with all these benefits chocolate should be consumed in moderation because because it contains high amount of sugar content which varies among chocolate manufacturers, so it is advisable to check the nutrition label.
You must be logged in to post a comment.