Amazing Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Amazing Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Reduces Stroke Risk
A 2011 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke than women who treated themselves to fewer than 9 grams of the sweet stuff.

Boosts Heart Health
Regular chocolate eaters welcome a host of benefits for their hearts, including lower blood pressure, lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and a lower risk of heart disease. One of the reasons dark chocolate is especially heart-healthy is its inflammation-fighting properties, which reduce cardiovascular risk.

Reduces cholesterol
Consumption of cocoa has been shown to reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and raise levels of “good” cholesterol, potentially lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

good for your skin

The flavonols in dark chocolate can protect the skin against sun damage (though you'd probably better still slap on some sun cream).

Chocolate can help you lose weight
Really Neuroscientist Will Clower says a small square of good choc melted on the tongue 20 minutes before a meal triggers the hormones in the brain that say “I’m full”, cutting the amount of food you subsequently consume. Finishing a meal with the same small trigger could reduce subsequent snacking.

Relieves Stress
To relieve stress or lift a low mood, you can always rely on dark chocolate. It helps increase the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin that acts as a natural antidepressant.

Research done by scientists from the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland and published online in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Proteome Research confirmed that the chemical compounds in dark chocolate play a key role in improving the disposition of people who experience higher levels of stress.

They found that eating about 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate daily for two weeks can reduce levels of stress hormones in people feeling highly stressed.

Plus, dark chocolate has magnesium that helps fight stress, fatigue, depression and irritability. When eating chocolate to fight stress, make sure it has more than 85 percent cocoa.

Reduces Blood Pressure
Dark chocolate can also reduce high blood pressure. Flavanol, a flavonoid present in cocoa, helps lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to your heart.

The flavanol in dark chocolate stimulates the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide sends signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers resistance to blood flow and thus reduces blood pressure.

With lower blood pressure, there is also less chance of suffering from many types of heart diseases like heart failure, atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis. It can even reduce the risk of cognitive decline, dementia and stroke.

Simply eat a small piece of dark chocolate daily to lower your blood pressure. Be sure to choose dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa.

Boosts Brain Power
Dark chocolate also improves brain function. According to a study done at University of Nottingham, consuming dark chocolate can boost blood flow in the brain for up to three hours. This, in turn, improves short-term memory and general alertness levels for short periods.

Plus, the high amount of flavanol found in dark chocolate also improves brain function for people fighting sleep deprivation, and even slow the effects of aging by increasing circulation.

Plus, the cocoa in dark chocolate improves concentration, response time and memory recall.