The Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Contrary to popular belief, there are several benefits to eating chocolate, especially dark chocolate. Chocolate began as a drink made from cacao beans in pre-Columbian Mexico hundreds of years ago. The drink was said to have revitalizing and restorative properties. Today, we enjoy chocolate mainly because of its sweet and rich taste. This is because of the added sugar and milk in the Production of modern chocolate . However, chocolate began as dark and bitter like the original cacao beans it came from.
Since the cacao bean originates from a plant, it has many of the health advantages which are associated with dark vegetables. The benefits come from flavonoids. They act as antioxidants inside the body, protecting it from aging that is caused by free radicals and damage that leads to heart disease. There are large amounts of antioxidants in dark chocolate. The flavonoids contained within it produce nitric oxide which helps to lower blood pressure and balance a number of hormones throughout the body.
What this means is that dark chocolate can be very good for your heart. You can keep help keep your heart healthy and improve your cardiovascular system by eating a small bar of dark chocolate every day. This will help reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Studies have shown that a daily intake of a small amount of dark chocolate reduces blood pressure. It has also been known to reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as ten percent.
The health benefits associated with dark chocolate are not limited to improving your heart. Many people prefer the slightly bitter taste of dark chocolate to the sweeter taste of regular milk chocolate. Dark chocolate contains a lot less sugar and fat than regular chocolate. It also stimulates the production of endorphins in the body which give a sensation of pleasure when eating it. It also contains serotonin which is an anti-depressant hormone. There is also caffeine and a number of other natural substances that act as stimulants. This is why so many people love eating chocolate. It tastes so good and leaves you feeling euphoric afterwards.
While the taste of dark chocolate may require some getting used to, it is a great place to start if you want to lose weight and start eating healthy. Instead of eating milk chocolate or candy bars try replacing it with a dark chocolate bar. It contains much less fat and sugar yet is still tasty and has more health benefits.
Like wine tasting, chocolate tasting is also something that can be greatly enjoyed. Because making chocolate has become such an involved process, with each bar containing over 300 different flavor compounds, it is worthwhile taking the time to really taste and enjoy the chocolate. Dark chocolate is the original taste and is not smothered in sugar or added milk flavors. Dark is also the favored chocolate when it comes to cooking and baking. Chocolate that is both dark and bitter can be used in preparing savory dishes.
