1. Do you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, Diabetes or stroke? Well recent studies have shown a significant decrease in the risk of contracting them if dark chocolate is regularly eaten.
2. Thickening of the blood can lead to clots which, in turn, can lead to stroke. However, it seems that the bacteria in your gut can break down dark chocolate into ant-inflammatory compounds which thin the blood lessening the chances of stroke.
3. Daily consumption of dark chocolate lowered participants blood pressure by some 3 to 4 points. This was reported in 20 different studies on the subject.
4. You don't have to be elderly or sick to get these benefits either. Young, healthy men in their 20's who ate a small square of dark chocolate daily had some 14% to 23% increased blood flow.
5. Eating dark chocolate can increase the HDL or good cholesterol in your blood, thus lowering any bad cholesterol (LDL).
6. The anti-oxidants in dark chocolate seem to be so good for so many things! A recently published research paper showed that they could improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics. They even showed insulin sensitivity improvement in non-diabetics.
7. Imagine a candy that could improve the state of your teeth! Well a substance in dark chocolate called Theobromine has been shown to harden tooth enamel.
8. Increased protection from sun damage to your skin could also be experienced if you regularly ate dark chocolate.
9. A substance released by the brain called phenylethylamine is responsible for helping you feel happy and relaxed. This substance has been shown to increase on eating dark chocolate stimulating the production of the feel good hormones.
How To Choose Chocolate
Do Buy clearly labelled 70% or higher dark chocolate. This was the strength used in the above studies. If you don't mind the taste, 80% or even 90% is even better. Don't buy the milky, sweet varieties. This is because the flavonols, which are responsible for the above benefits, have been stripped out of the milky, sweet chocolate to make way for the sweeter taste.
2. Thickening of the blood can lead to clots which, in turn, can lead to stroke. However, it seems that the bacteria in your gut can break down dark chocolate into ant-inflammatory compounds which thin the blood lessening the chances of stroke.
3. Daily consumption of dark chocolate lowered participants blood pressure by some 3 to 4 points. This was reported in 20 different studies on the subject.
4. You don't have to be elderly or sick to get these benefits either. Young, healthy men in their 20's who ate a small square of dark chocolate daily had some 14% to 23% increased blood flow.
5. Eating dark chocolate can increase the HDL or good cholesterol in your blood, thus lowering any bad cholesterol (LDL).
6. The anti-oxidants in dark chocolate seem to be so good for so many things! A recently published research paper showed that they could improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics. They even showed insulin sensitivity improvement in non-diabetics.
7. Imagine a candy that could improve the state of your teeth! Well a substance in dark chocolate called Theobromine has been shown to harden tooth enamel.
8. Increased protection from sun damage to your skin could also be experienced if you regularly ate dark chocolate.
9. A substance released by the brain called phenylethylamine is responsible for helping you feel happy and relaxed. This substance has been shown to increase on eating dark chocolate stimulating the production of the feel good hormones.
How To Choose Chocolate
Do Buy clearly labelled 70% or higher dark chocolate. This was the strength used in the above studies. If you don't mind the taste, 80% or even 90% is even better. Don't buy the milky, sweet varieties. This is because the flavonols, which are responsible for the above benefits, have been stripped out of the milky, sweet chocolate to make way for the sweeter taste.
About the Author:
I love writing about things like amazing dark chocolate health benefits as well as other superfoods at Streetarticles.
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