Top 10 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate – Reasons to Eat More Chocolate!
1. Dark chocolate can benefit your heart.
Studies have shown that dark chocolate can improve the elasticity of blood vessels. This is mainly due to the antioxidant effect of cocoa butter. What this means to you is that your risk of heart disease will decrease by eating dark chocolate.
However, it should be noted that you must consume dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content to experience this benefit.
The high content of flavonoids in dark chocolate helps prevent blood clots and reduces high blood pressure due to its ability to relax blood vessels and increase their elasticity. The antioxidants found in dark chocolate also help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. Dark chocolate can help you lose weight.
Would you believe that there are some studies that show that dark chocolate helps you lose weight? Good is true. When it comes to the benefits of dark chocolate for weight loss, there are two main reasons why it works.
First, the healthy fat found in dark chocolate called cocoa butter helps you feel full for a longer period of time. Second, it also causes changes in insulin levels that can help you lose weight.
3. Dark chocolate is good for your skin.
Acne is the most common skin problem that many people experience or have to deal with at least once or twice in their life. Dark chocolate has anti-inflammatory benefits due to its caffeine content.
In addition, it contains antioxidants and other properties that affect the activity of certain enzymes in the body, which is good for the skin. Eating dark chocolate can significantly protect your skin from UV light.
4. Dark chocolate can help you concentrate better.
Some say that eating dark chocolate can help you focus better. Dark chocolate contains caffeine, which is the basis for this claim. And what is more? The antioxidants in cocoa butter also help with concentration and cognition by improving blood circulation in your brain.
5. Dark chocolate improves cholesterol levels.
Lowering bad or LDL cholesterol is a well-known benefit of dark chocolate because it contains flavonoids. However, did you know that it can also help increase good cholesterol levels? This helps improve your overall health and well-being.
6. Dark chocolate prevents tooth decay.
Although dark chocolate is known to cause cavities, it actually reduces the risk of this health problem. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of cocoa butter help prevent cavities by reducing the build-up of plaque on the teeth. That is why dark chocolate can be considered as part of your dental hygiene routine.
7. Dark chocolate can help control your blood sugar.
As we mentioned earlier, dark chocolate contains caffeine and antioxidants that work together to reduce insulin resistance and symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Also, studies show that dark chocolate can lower blood sugar. A bar of dark chocolate every day may be the solution for you.
8. Dark chocolate improves your mood.
Scientists discovered that chocolate triggers the production of the hormone serotonin, which is responsible for making you feel good. This can also help people with depression. Dark chocolate is considered a drug-free medicine to treat depression.
9. Dark chocolate helps your brain work better.
Eating dark chocolate every day can keep you focused, alive, and in a good mood because it contains caffeine, antioxidants, and serotonin.
Scientists believe that eating dark chocolate every day could help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by keeping the brain healthy. Furthermore, dark chocolate is also believed to improve working memory due to its high antioxidant content.
10. Dark chocolate helps you rest better.
If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, dark chocolate can help. Researchers found that some types of dark chocolate improve sleep quality and duration because it contains caffeine and cocoa, which is mild stimulant.
In addition to relaxing the muscles, cocoa also provides magnesium to the body; This mineral relaxes blood vessels and muscles. However, this does not mean that you binge and eat dark chocolate chunks blindly. In everything, moderation is key and this is what you should follow when eating dark chocolate as well.
There are numerous questions about dark chocolate nutrition such as: What is the best time to eat dark chocolate? What percentage of dark chocolate is healthy? How many squares of dark chocolate per day? Is dark chocolate good for your heart? Health benefits of dark chocolate for women. etc.
How much dark chocolate should I eat a day?
To avoid weight gain, we recommend eating no more than 1 ounce of dark chocolate per day.
What are the health benefits of drinking hot chocolate?
Here are the top 10 health benefits of drinking hot chocolate:
Antidepressant
Triggers brain activity
Anti-cancer agent
Helps to lose weight
Dental care
Skincare
Sexual benefits
Prevents type 2 diabetes
Restrict heart disease
Regulate blood circulation
Is it OK to eat dark chocolate every day?
Yes, that’s fine. The recommended dose is about 1 ounce or 30 g, experts say. Enjoy more than that, and you may be consuming too many calories.
Why is dark chocolate bad for you?
Dark chocolate is a concentrated source of calories and eating too much can lead to ingesting too many calories overall, which can result in weight gain.
