Health Benefits of Chocolate

If you're a fan of chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. It's really difficult to find a person who is not fond of eating chocolates. Everybody is crazy about chocolates due to its mouth-watering taste and fascinating appearance. Kids cannot control their temptation about chocolates and many parents experience that kids can be stopped from crying with a gift of chocolate.

But a part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health which gives it an air of the forbidden. Today chocolate is all around us. We all love it. Many of us, however, feel a little guilty about eating it. So, what's the truth? Is chocolate really bad for you?

Previously, it was assumed that chocolates are bad for health and hence, it should not be consumed in high quantity. It was considered to be responsible for affecting dental health and causing obesity. However, according to the latest researches, it has been found that chocolate (Especially Dark Chocolate) has certain health benefits, especially if you wisely choose it. Some of the many health benefits of dark chocolate are as follows:

• Blood Pressure: Dark chocolate is rich in minerals such as magnesium and copper, these minerals aid in regulating normal blood pressure and subsequently maintaining proper heartbeat levels.
• Stress: Eating a delicious piece of chocolate could possibly reduce stress levels; it works by stimulating the production of endorphin that may give rise to a happy feeling. In addition, the dark chocolate variety contains stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine that are major stimulants.
• Blood circulation: Eating dark chocolate not only relaxes but also makes the blood vessels more flexible. It also boosts the functioning of endothelial cells which line the blood cells. It also decreases the risk posed by innumerable cardiovascular diseases.
• Lowers Cholesterol Levels: Dark chocolates have been medically proven to reduce the bad cholesterol level in the human body significantly, up to 10 to 12 percentage.
• Boosting Immunity: The two kinds of flavonoids present in chocolates are mainly Catechins and Epicatechins. Dark chocolate has more of Catechins, which boosts the human body immune system and possibly preventing major chronic ailments.
• Good for Anemic Condition: The flavonoids compounds are useful in treating anemic patients and those having poor dietary habits.
• Rich in Antioxidants: Dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant. These antioxidants actually gulp up free moving radicals and other dangerous molecules that may be potential health hazards. They also help in fighting against pre-mature aging and heart diseases.
• Cures Depression: The dark chocolate contains serotonin, which has the qualities of anti-depressants.
• Heart health: Little intake of dark chocolate boosts the vascular health. It contains a lot of polyphenols and antioxidants.

However every coin has a flip side too, so there are some disadvantages of chocolates also. These include:        

• It is a calorie rich food with a high sugar and fat content, so regular consumption of chocolate requires reducing the caloric intake of other foods.
• It contains a variety of substances, some of which have addictive properties e.g sugar, theobromine and caffeine which are stimulating and mood elevating.
• It has been linked to nervous tension as well as migraine headaches because it contains compounds known as vasoactive amines that can dilate brain vessels triggering headaches in susceptible individuals.
• It has high levels of arginine which is required in the replication of the herpes virus. Chocolate should be avoided by those with active or recurring herpes infections.

The amount of chocolate intake should be moderate and not high in order to enjoy optimum health benefits. Chocolates with less cocoa butter and added flavors are recommended. Low calorie chocolate does no harm to the body. Unsweetened chocolate in fact, is always good and has great positive health effects on the body.