7 Healthy Reasons Why You Need to Eat Chocolates
Chocolate is an indulgent treat that is difficult to refuse. Fortunately, new studies have found that eating chocolate is good for your health. The only catch is that it has to be dark chocolates that should contain at least 70% of cocoa to enjoy its incredible health benefits.
Cocoa is rich in antioxidants and considered a superfood. Here are 7 health benefits you can enjoy when eating chocolates.
- Help You Lose Weight. This is a surprising benefit since chocolates are often linked to weight gain but it has been proven that eating a piece of dark chocolate 20 minutes before and five minutes after a meal can reduce your appetite by 50%. This is because the treat signals your brain to feel full. However,
this applies to dark chocolates only, white and milk chocolates contain a high proportion of sugar which increase blood sugar levels making you crave more foods.
- Promote Skin Health. The antioxidants in chocolates which are called flavonoids has good effects on the skin. They moisturize the skin and help protect it against sun damage that may cause skin dryness and wrinkles. They also help repair cell damage and promote new growth of cells making the skin look young and smooth.
- Boost Energy. Dark chocolates improve blood flow and help carry oxygen to muscles at a faster rate which is important in keeping you active. They improve physical performance which you can take advantage of to workout more efficiently. You can enjoy a dark chocolate drink as an alternative to traditional energy drinks which might be full of additives.
- Good for the Heart. The delicious snack keeps your heart healthy and lowers your risk of developing heart disease. Dark chocolates are great help in lowering cholesterol levels and regulating blood pressure. They prevent absorption of cholesterol in the intestines and build-up of plaque in the arteries allowing the heart to carry oxygen rich blood in the body and prevent developing heart disease.
- Prevent Diabetes. You are probably surprised to see this benefit listed here but it’s true. Dark chocolates contain less sugar and more bioactive compounds that help fight the disease. Aside from this they promote weight loss and regulate blood flow which are two major factors in preventing the disease, dark chocolates improve metabolic rate and enhance insulin function in the body.
- Protects the Brain. The flavonoids content of chocolates improve blood flow in the brain which enhance brain function. In fact, they have been found to improve cognitive functions in elderly people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. The snack reduces damaged done to brain pathways that is causing some cognitive impairment to elderly adults.
- Makes You Happy. Chocolates cheer us up when we feel sad but this is not only because of its amazing taste. The treat contains a bioactive compound called phenylethylamine which is the same chemical that the brain releases when we feel in love. Chocolates also act as antidepressant and contain dopamine that promote the feeling of happiness.
