The Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Yes, chocolate is a high calorie food when it is in the form of a candy bar, especially when it is mixed with milk. Chocolate mixed with milk products is bad for your health because it will bind the amazing good qualities of the cocoa bean in the chocolate. The Internet is flooded with information about the new 'Superfood' called the Acai berry which contains plenty of flavonoids which are group that are referred to as antioxidants. Other foods that are no classified as Superfoods are flaxseeds, colostrums, blue-green Algae, Chlorella supplements, ginger, Royal jelly, Gobi berries, and Salmon roe.
Why should Dark Chocolate be added to this list? Cocoa and dark chocolate naturally contain ingredients that are essential for maintaining good health like magnesium, potassium and copper. The average bar of chocolate can provide twelve percent of the daily magnesium requirement which is the mineral that helps prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type '2' diabetes. Cocoa and dark chocolate have a higher antioxidant amount than cranberries or blueberries. The antioxidants are in a concentrated form in the dark chocolate and cocoa making them a real-life Superfood. The cocoa bean possesses a high concentration of stearic acid which changes the bad fats in the blood into good fats so that the body can metabolize them.
Because chocolate made from the cocoa bean is a plant-based food it does not have bad cholesterol. It is loaded with antioxidants that help the body by promoting a better flow of blood which eases the strain on the heart when pumping blood. It also helps to reduce plaque from being built-up in the arteries.
Adding three squares of a large dark chocolate bar to your daily intake will add a few extra calories but it will also add antioxidants and vital minerals that your body desperately needs. One serving, or three squares of a large 6.8 oz. Dark chocolate bar is 36 g. and 170 calories. There is no bad cholesterol plus 8 percent daily fiber and 10 percent iron. As in all things in life, the key here is moderation. Chocolate may not be officially considered a Superfood but looking at the statistics it is a mystery why it is considered a 'no no' to most people.
There are very few people who don't like chocolate. Even those people who suffer from migraine, a condition which can be aggravated by chocolate, love the sweet warm taste. There are many different kinds and perhaps the best chocolate comes from Europe. Belgian chocolate, and particularly certain types of Dark chocolate is gourmet and bears no relationship to some of the more popular chocolate bars you can find at your local store. Store bought bars are just a pale imitation of the real thing, if you really want to know what good chocolate is like you should try some of the Artisanal Bean to Bar offerings.The art of chocolate making has been around for a very long time, it is a pleasure that people have enjoyed for centuries.