Health and Dark Chocolate | Perks that are related with consumption of Dark Chocolate

Chocolate comes from a plant which is rich in minerals and antioxidants and is known as Cocoa. 

The common and commercial milk chocolates that you consume contain cocoa butter, sugar, milk, and small quantities of cocoa while dark chocolates have higher contents of cocoa and lesser sugar than the milk chocolates.

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The cocoa in dark chocolates contains antioxidants which are called flavonoids that have various health benefits. It is also rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, etc that can benefit you in positive aspects.

Consumption of dark chocolates also reduces the risk of heart diseases. Cocoa is a packet of antioxidants which are actually much more than you can actually find in green tea or red wine. 

You can also read: Pros and cons of Decaf coffee you must know. 

More you move towards darker chocolate, more antioxidants you can consume but you need to make sure a balance between palatable and eating dark chocolate for proper benefits.

Have a look at some of the benefits from this sweet bitter piece of treat-

⦁  Dark Chocolate lowers risks of Heart disease and prevents strokes: 

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It is a proven fact that dark chocolate helps in improving heart health. A number of observational studies have shown that people who used to eat dark chocolate more than five times a week reduced the risk of heart disease by 57 percent. 

The flavonoids present in dark chocolate maintain heart health by producing nitric oxide, which causes blood vessels to relax and lowers blood pressure.

The studies that are done are observational so more studies are required to decide the exact amount of flavonoid and type of chocolate that would lower the stroke and disease risk.

⦁  Dark Chocolate lessens the risk of Diabetes and improves Blood Sugar level:

In general, you must have heard eating chocolate every day is very risky as it can cause increased sugar levels or even diabetes but the correct proportion of dark chocolate rich in cocoa actually can improve the metabolism of glucose in the body. 

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The flavonoids found in dark chocolate reduce oxidative stress which is the primary cause of insulin the resistance that causes high blood glucose.

When the body’s sensitivity to insulin is improved and resistance is reduced than the risk of diabetes and similar diseases decreases. To define the exact relationship between dark chocolate and diabetes more practical studies are still in process.

⦁  It is perfect for your Good Skin in various ways:

Dark chocolate is fully packed with vitamins and minerals like copper, iron, and magnesium, etc that are good for your healthy and happy skin. 

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Collagen is a protein that helps your skin look younger and healthy is found in manganese, a major content of dark chocolate. The high content of antioxidants in dark chocolate protects the skin from the harmful UV rays emitted by the sun.

The exact mechanism of protection is still unknown but it is found that some improvements happen in the elasticity of the skin while exposed to the sun.

⦁ Dark Chocolate plays an important role in Cancer prevention and fights Free Radicals effectively:

Dark chocolate has certain properties that help in protecting people from certain types of cancer. 

The antioxidants in dark chocolate protect cells from free radicals, which are basically unstable oxygen molecules that are responsible for early aging and the disease. 

Epicatechin and Quercetin are two out of many flavonoids present in dark chocolate that have high cancer-fighting properties.

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Many studies have shown that people who eat many flavonoids or antioxidant-rich chocolate have a lower risk of developing cancer than those who don’t consume them.

⦁  The sweet bitter treat improves Memory, Boost Mood and benefits cognition:

Consumption of dark chocolates actually benefits your brain in multiple ways. It stimulates the neural activity in areas of the brain that are linked with pleasure and reward, which finally decreases stress and boosts your mood. 

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It also helps in improving the learning and memorizing power of the brain which may be due to the presence of a high level of flavonoids in dark chocolate. For enhancing brain activities you can also try ginger tea that acts as rocket fuel for the brain. 

Dark chocolates that have 70 percent cocoa content help increase the neuroplasticity of the brain which causes positive effects on memory, cognition, and mood.

Being delicious and nutritious, dark chocolate is a perfect choice! 

You need to ensure any chocolate that has 70 percent or higher content of cocoa contains the proper amount of antioxidants, fiber, potassium, calcium, copper, and magnesium and is best for health and consumption.

** As it is also a great chunk of fat and calories so be careful with your daily intake.

So, dark chocolate is for sure is not a guilty pleasure but something that has multiple incredible health benefits. 

Maybe this the sweet bitter-tasting bar is not the best-tasting treat, but its nutritional value and properties make it worthwhile.

You can also read: Love Mangoes? know its nutrition benefits and side effects.