Is Eating Dark Chocolate Good? – Proven Health Benefits

Chocolates are everyone’s favorite. But recent days, the commercial chocolates has become doing more harm than good. That is why we start thinking chocolates are really bad for health. But really, the original dark chocolates are not that bad. It contains lots of nutrients that benefit your health in different ways. Dark chocolate health benefits can be surprising for many. But it’s real.

Organic dark chocolates are made from the cocoa seeds, which is one of the best sources of antioxidants. Unlike the white chocolates, dark chocolates are not sugary crap. They help improve health and even found to lower cardiac problems.

Dark Chocolate made from high quality cocoa is very nutritious.

1. It contains good amounts of soluble fiber.
2. Dark chocolates contain many minerals such as iron magnesium, copper, and manganese.
3. It also has selenium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc.
4. They contain high fatty acid profile with saturated and monounsaturated fats and little polyunsaturates.
5. It contains caffeine and theobromine, which are stimulants. Both of these stimulants provide relaxing effects to the body, nevertheless can affect negatively on overdose.

Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

• According to the measure of ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), dark chocolates are high in antioxidants. This helps it fight free radicals. Organic and raw, unprocessed cocoa beans are high antioxidant-rich foods.
• Dark chocolates are loaded with polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins. These organic compounds are function as antioxidants.
• The presence of flavanols in dark chocolate helps stimulate the lining of arteries and improves blood flow. It also lowers blood pressure.
• Consumption of dark chocolate is shown to improve the risk factors of heart disease. Cocoa powder significantly decreases oxidized LDL cholesterol and increases HDL.
• Studies show that dark chocolates protect the body skin from sun damage. This is because of the flavonols. They improve blood flow and increase the skin density. It also provides hydration and protection against UVB rays.
• Certain studies have shown dark chocolates to improve the functioning of the brain. High-flavanol cocoa improves the bran functioning due to increased blood flow to the brain.
• Moreover, stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine in dark chocolate is also the reason for improved brain activity and cognitive function.

However, it contains high calories and moderate sugar content, and so, should not be a daily snack to consume. Approximately, 100 grams of dark chocolate contains around 600 calories, which is fairly a large amount for daily consumption.