Despite the bad health impression that chocolate may have created over the years due to its high fat and sugar content, there are also a significant number of health benefits that you simply should not miss!
The favorite candy, chocolate is made from the seeds of a tropical cocoa tree "Theobroma". The first to use it were the Olmecs, the Aztecs and the Mayans who drank it, and because of its unique flavor they even believed that cocoa was God's gift to mankind. After the European discovery of America, chocolate became very popular in the wider world, and the demand for it soared miraculously. Since then, chocolate has become a popular food that millions enjoy every day (how not?) thanks to its unique, rich and sweet taste. But what really is the effect of this beloved and popular candy on our health?
Researchers discovered that cocoa (which is of course the main ingredient in chocolate) contains biologically active phenolic compounds, which began to change the prevailing opinions about chocolate and triggered the need for studies to examine what health effects it possesses. So, based on the many studies that have been done, it has been found that eating chocolate may have the following health benefits:
- LOWERING CHOLESTEROL LEVELS – IN ONE STUDY, IT WAS FOUND THAT CONSUMING CHOCOLATE COULD HELP REDUCE LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL, ALSO KNOWN AS "BAD CHOLESTEROL." THE RESEARCHERS TESTED WHETHER CHOCOLATE CONTAINING PLANT STEROLS (PS) AND COCOA PALAVANOLS (CF) HAD ANY EFFECT ON CHOLESTEROL LEVELS, AND CONCLUDED THAT REGULAR CONSUMPTION OF CHOCOLATE BARS CONTAINING PS AND CF, AS PART OF A LOW-FAT DIET, COULD SUPPORT CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH BY LOWERING CHOLESTEROL AND IMPROVING BLOOD PRESSURE.
- Preventing cognitive decline – Another study found that drinking two glasses of hot chocolate a day could help maintain brain health and reduce memory loss in older people – in the study, it was found that hot chocolate helped improve blood flow to parts of the brain that were needed. The explanation for this, according to the researchers, is because different parts of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need more blood flow. This association, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's. It has also been found that the cocoa extract, called labado, may reduce or prevent damage to the neural pathways found in Alzheimer's patients - this extract may help slow down symptoms such as cognitive decline. Furthermore, another study found that eating chocolate at least once a week can improve cognitive function.
- Reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems – It has been found that chocolate consumption may help reduce the risk of heart disease by a third. The researchers concluded that higher levels of chocolate consumption could be linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders.
- Furthermore, in a study of 44,489 people, it was found that people who ate a single serving of chocolate were 22% less likely to have a stroke compared to those who did not have a stroke. Also, those who ate about two ounces of chocolate per week were 46% less likely to die from a stroke.
- Another interesting study related to fetal growth and development found that eating 30 grams of chocolate daily during pregnancy may be beneficial for fetal growth and development.
- Another benefit is also found in the fitness field - it has been discovered that a little dark chocolate may increase the availability of oxygen during fitness training. Scientists believe that the success of dark chocolate in this case is that it contains flavonols called epicatechins, which enhance the release of nitric oxide in the body.
So in light of all the health benefits we've laid out for you, the next time you eat chocolate (and we assume very soon), or you get a pampering chocolate gift – allow yourself not to feel so guilty about it, and remember that it's healthy – and really not just for the soul.