What is the first thing comes to your mind when you hear the word chocolate? The answer is too obvious to be repeated. Chocolate is pure love to so many of us, and we crave it now and then. A single bite could be ecstatic and melting but sure does have some disadvantages when it comes to its effect on your health.
Sure, every once in a while, chocolate would not harm you, but for someone who has diabetes, tone time could become last due to its demerits. But does all the chocolate harm your health? You need to know about specific chocolate rich in nutrients and is more organic than the ones available in the market.
We might wonder when hearing this that how chocolate can be organic? But they are. Like the fruit juices, we squeeze at our homes that are pure and natural from the ones commercially available with lots of added sugar and preservatives. Some chocolates do not contain synthetic sweetener instead are pure cocoa.
As we know, Dark Chocolate is growing popular rapidly amongst people, but not all are pure dark chocolate. The purest form tastes bitter but has many merits for better health and ailment of several conditions. People usually mistook dark chocolate for the brands available and claimed their chocolate to be dark, but eventually, they contain artificial elements.
Dark chocolate is made up of cacao tree seeds, which are the best source of antioxidants and very good for your heart health. Here are some of the scientifically-backed benefits of dark chocolate that would make you think of adding it to your list of comfort foods this instant.
For Good Blood Flow and Lowering Blood Pressure
Endothelium lining in the arteries produces Nitric Oxide (NO), which helps send signals to the arteries to relax, allowing the reduction of blood flow resistance and eventually lowering blood pressure. Dark Chocolate helps in doing this best.
The consumption of dark chocolate helps the endothelium lining in the arteries produce more Nitric Oxide and helps in the entire blood flow, relaxing, and blood pressure-lowering mechanism. The bioactive compounds present in cocoa could help in decreasing the blood pressure a bit.
However, one study could not prove this theory; hence it requires further research and more clinical trials to validate the hypothesis into an actual idea for its effectiveness.
A Good agent for reducing Oxidized LDL
LDL means bad cholesterol in our system, a prime source of heart disease risk, especially in men. A study showed that in few participants, cocoa powder helped reduce oxidized LDL, which means that when bad cholesterol mixes with free radicals and reacts, majorly for the arteries’ heart endothelium lining and damaging them.
The study also showed that cocoa powder increased HDL levels Good Cholesterol) in those participants, most of whom were men. The antioxidants in cocoa powder or dark chocolate help reduce LDL levels and eventually lead to lower heart disease risk.
Moreover, Dark chocolate is known for reducing insulin resistance in the system, which is also responsible for causing heart disease.
Good For skin
The number of bioactive compounds in dark chocolate is a great agent for your skin. Drak chocolate in better blood flows to your skin, making it look and feel more hydrated. It has often been said that dark chocolate could be a good thing for your skin, especially when it comes to protecting your skin from UVB rays from the sun.
The high level of flavonoids in dark chocolate helps double the MED, which is the minimal erythemal dose that is the minimum amount of UVB rays required to cause redness in the skin for at least 24 hours the time when exposed to the sun.
For Better Brain Functioning
Cocoa or dark chocolate has been proved a good source for improving brain functioning, especially in older adults with cognitive impairment. The flavonoids in dark chocolate improve the blood flow towards the brain, making cognitive functioning better and reducing the risk of several other conditions connected to it.
A study showed that after eating dark chocolate for five days, a group of people consistently showed improved signs of brain/ cognitive functioning. Moreover, some additional dark chocolate elements such as caffeine could be another reason why it helps in improved brain functioning.
A vibrant source of Antioxidant
As mentioned above in the entire article, dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants; it has been proved by several pieces of research done. Generally, to claim that any food can contain antioxidants to disarm the free radicals, it is tested in a test tube.
Sources say that generally, how these foods perform in the test tube examination doesn’t guarantee our system’s same functioning. But pure cocoa beans, which dark chocolate is rich in, have been tested end number of times and have been proved to be a good source of antioxidants.
The flavanoids, bioactive compounds like polyphenols, catechins make dark chocolate a more effective antioxidant.
So, in the end, it is time that you consider consuming more dark chocolate but remember to consult with a doctor in case of any intestinal allergies or gut-related issues due to the amount of caffeine present in a bar of pure dark chocolate.
