Dark Chocolate

There is no doubt chocolates stand out among nutritious food as it dates as far back as 2000 BC. It is worldly recognised that it even has its day. October 28th has been observed as National Chocolate Day and has gotten so many fans globally.

Dark chocolate is still the favourite among all form of the yummy delight that melts perfectly in the mouth. Women find it hard to resist these lovelies. Children already know what aisle at the supermarket their bar of dark chocolate is stacked in different forms and sizes.

What is so special about dark chocolate you’d ask? Well, why don’t you read on?

Reduces the risk of heart diseases

Dark chocolates are rich in healthy compounds that are very beneficial to the human body. Compounds such as flavonoids, highly present in cocoa, the plant seed chocolates are made from.

Flavonoids help in keeping the heart safe. Cocoa has been linked to reducing the risk of death from heart-related diseases in older men and women by 50%.

Further studies also indicated that eating dark chocolate five times or more per week lowered the risk of heart disease by 57% and more.

Dark Chocolates reduces the risk of diabetes

Prof Saverio Stranges, the Scientific Director of the Department of Population Health at LIH, advised that Healthcare Professionals should encourage individuals to develop a habit of consuming food rich in phytochemicals such as dark chocolates.

A study by the Luxembourg Institution of Health University, recently found that products made from cocoa, such as dark chocolates, may affect resistance to insulin and reduce the risk of diabetes.

Further studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition indicated that of over one thousand participants, those who ate a minimum of 100kg daily had reduced insulin resistance and had drastically improved their liver enzymes and also reduced the risk of cardiovascular illnesses.

Improve the function of the brain

If the brain’s daily capacity could increase due to what we eat, wouldn’t you have an abundance of it at your disposal? Improved Cognitive functions have been recorded in older adults who included dark chocolate to their diet, and have also enhanced verbal fluency.

Dark chocolate improves the brain function by increasing the flow of rich blood to the brain. It enhances learning and memory performance and also enhances one’s ability to identify different logical patterns and rules.

Reduces stress and risk of inflammation

The presence of healthy antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents in dark chocolate helps consumers improve their memory, mood and immunity. It also helps combat inflammation and reduces stress.

Dark chocolate is significantly loaded with organic compounds that act as antioxidants.

Protects the skin from the sun

Dark chocolates are necessary if you are planning a trip to the beach because bioactive compounds present in dark chocolates are beneficial for your skin as it helps protect against sun damage and elevate blood flow, increase skin density and hydration.

A study of 30 people had their minimal erythemal dose (MED) more than doubled after consuming dark chocolate.

Act as Aphrodisiacs

The flavonoids in dark chocolates induce blood flow in the body, and this invariably affects erection of the penis. This improves sex among couples, and it is highly recommended that partners share at least a bar of chocolates on a regular basis.

Just because dark chocolate is loaded with a lot of goodies doesn’t give you the leverage to abuse its intake. Too much of it is considered dangerous. Be sure to avoid dark chocolates that have nuts in them if you are allergic.

In the meantime, stock your fridge up and make your body love you more with each bite.
YUM! YUM!! YUM!!!