This sweet snack is a very common snack for most Americans. Many of us find ourselves craving chocolate throughout the day, but doctors have found that this craving may actually be good for your health! More and more studies are coming out about the very real health benefits people get from indulging in their chocolate cravings. With more people taking multivitamins and supplements, like those featured on Authority Reports, some of those vitamins and minerals could even be replaced by eating a few small pieces of chocolate every day!
Know Your Chocolate!
As most people know, there are three main types of chocolate: white, milk, and dark. White chocolate is not actually made with the cacao bean, but instead uses the cacao butter and has a lot of added milk and sugar. Milk chocolate, while it does have cacao bean in the mix, is very similar to white chocolate, in that it is loaded with extra fat and sugar. This leaves dark chocolate, which is very commonly high in cacao, which leaves much less room for the fatty fillers.
When doctors say that chocolate could be good for your health, it is important to make the distinction that they are speaking specifically to the cacao bean. That means, when eating chocolate for your health, it should be dark chocolate to make sure you are getting the most cacao as possible. Any bar that has at least 70% cacao will give the most concentrated health benefits. Anything less than the recommended 70% will have more sugar and fat added in which can make the downsides to eating chocolate outweigh the health benefits.
Most studies have shown that consuming 1-2 ounces of dark chocolate per day can give you health benefits that other foods cannot. The real question becomes, how exactly will eating this chocolate help. While there have been many studies to show different effects of cacao on the body, these benefits are the most commonly seen.
Helps Your Heart
One of the main ingredients found in cacao beans is stearic acid, which is a type of saturated fat. Doctors often warn against the consumption of this kind of fat, as it can raise your LDL, or bad, cholesterol. However, stearic acid has been shown to be one of the only saturated fats to have the opposite effect! This fat has been shown to have a cholesterol lowering effect, which will allow the blood to flow more freely through your veins, allowing your heart to not work as hard.
Bioflavonoids, the other main ingredient found in cacao, are shown to have a two-fold health benefit. They have been shown to help lower your blood pressure which in turn can reduce both your risk for heart attack as well as your stroke risk!
Bring Down Inflammation
Inflammation is known as the swelling of a specific, localized area of the body, and is sometimes called the silent killer, as it is the leading cause of many diseases, like diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. When doctors test for inflammation within the body, they test to find the C Reactive Protein (CRP) within the blood. Consuming a small, daily amount of chocolate can help keep your CRP levels in check which will keep the inflammation within your body to a minimum.
The Ultimate Mood Booster
One other main health benefit of chocolate is the incredible mood boost you get when eating it! While it’s hard to even think about being sad when indulging in a rich piece of chocolate, the physical reaction this tasty treat has on your brain goes much deeper. When eating chocolate, the brain will naturally release endorphins, which set off the pleasure centers in your brain giving you an almost euphoric sensation. Additionally, cacao naturally contains serotonin, which acts as an antidepressant. While considering both the effects of the additional endorphins and serotonin in your body, it is no wonder eating chocolate can help keep you happy all day long!
Conclusion
Chocolate is one of the most common sweets consumed by Americans, and now we have even more reason to eat it! With more health benefits of cacao being discovered every day, this superfood can help you reach many of your health goals. Making sure you eat at least 70% dark chocolate is important to have the most concentrated uses. By helping your heart, lowering inflammation, and improving your mood, chocolate may just be the secret key to living a healthier lifestyle!