Health Care Idea

There seems to be a common belief that chocolate is bad for you. Anything that tastes that good has to be, right? However, researchers have discovered that not only is this tasty treat not as bad for you as you always thought, it can actually be beneficial to our health.

Chocolate contains several nutrients, including potassium, iron and calcium. It also contains vitamins A1, B1, B2, C, D, and E.

Chocolate contains magnesium. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to PMS (premenstrual syndrome), heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and joint problems.

Despite containing sugar, which can be bad for your teeth, researchers have found that chocolate is on the list of snack foods that are least likely to cause dental decay. The cacoa in chocolate contains antibacterial agents that, believe it or not, fight tooth decay.

Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a mild mood elevator that can make you feel better emotionally.

Another reason eating chocolate can make you feel good is that it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that raises the serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a natural stress reliever and anti-depressant. Serotonin can also help decrease your appetite, lessoning your cravings for sweet and starchy foods.

Endorphins, a natural pain reducer and mood elevator, are released by the brain to help you deal with pain. Endorphins are also produced when you exercise, which is why people often feel pretty good after a rigorous workout. Chocolate, which stimulates the production of endorphins, can give you a feeling similar to a unner’s high.

The cocoa butter in chocolate contains a mono-unsaturated fat called oleic acid, which could help to raise your good cholesterol levels. Also, chocolate has been found to have no effect on ad cholesterol, meaning it will neither increase nor decrease it.

Eating chocolate could help increase antioxidant levels in your blood. Antioxidants help your body’s cells resist damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants help prevent heart disease, and help fight against cancer-causing cells.

Studies have shown that chocolate does not cause or contribute to acne breakouts.

Plain dark chocolate that contains 70% cocoa solids has the most health benefits.

Milk chocolate often contains lots of sugar and saturated fats, and are also high in calories. Also milk chocolate often goes through lots of processing that strips away some of the beneficial properties.

You don’t have to avoid other types of chocolate altogether. But read the labels. Choose a milk chocolate that contains at least 30% chocolate solids. If you love white chocolate, choose one that contains at least 30% chocolate butter.

While chocolate might not be as bad for you as you thought, and actually contains some things that can be beneficial to your health, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can or should eat a pound every day. But it does mean you don’t have to feel quite as guilty about indulging in the occasional chocolate treat.

By Dee Jones

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 at 11:27 pm and is filed under Chocolate Bad for You Health.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.