Possible benefits of eating Dark Chocolate
By: Dr. Willie T. Ong
Here’s what dark chocolate can do for your health:
• Helps prevent heart disease. A study from Scotland of close to 5,000 subjects showed that those who ate chocolate regularly had a lower risk for heart disease by 42 percent.
• Helps reduce inflammation and high blood pressure. Another study from Italy showed that people who ate dark chocolate regularly had lower C-reactive protein levels in their blood compared to people who never ate dark chocolate. C-reactive protein is a marker for inflammation of the arteries, and this can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Helps fight stress. Researchers discovered that eating an ounce or more of dark chocolate a day could reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone which may increase inflammation and blood pressure. So if a person feels stressed, it may be a good advice to give her a piece of dark chocolate.
• May be good for the brain. One small study showed that people who had two servings of hot cocoa every day were able to complete a test faster than the non-cocoa drinkers. There was also an eight-percent improvement in blood flow to the brain. This boosts the belief that dark chocolate may be good for the brain.
Here’s what dark chocolate can do for your health:
• Helps prevent heart disease. A study from Scotland of close to 5,000 subjects showed that those who ate chocolate regularly had a lower risk for heart disease by 42 percent.
• Helps reduce inflammation and high blood pressure. Another study from Italy showed that people who ate dark chocolate regularly had lower C-reactive protein levels in their blood compared to people who never ate dark chocolate. C-reactive protein is a marker for inflammation of the arteries, and this can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Helps fight stress. Researchers discovered that eating an ounce or more of dark chocolate a day could reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone which may increase inflammation and blood pressure. So if a person feels stressed, it may be a good advice to give her a piece of dark chocolate.
• May be good for the brain. One small study showed that people who had two servings of hot cocoa every day were able to complete a test faster than the non-cocoa drinkers. There was also an eight-percent improvement in blood flow to the brain. This boosts the belief that dark chocolate may be good for the brain.
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