For decades, eating chocolate has been linked to acne, weight gain, diabetes, heart diseases, hight blood pressure and more. However nowadays, various studies have highlighted the benefits of chocolate, especially dark chocolate.
Here is a list of some of the health benefits of chocolate; so the next time you have a chocolate you won’t feel as guilty.
1. Rich in antioxidants
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that are capable of fighting and eliminating toxins roaming around in your body.
2. Reduces heart related diseases
Various studies have shown how consuming chocolate (one to two servings a week) was linked to a decrease in the risks of cardiovascular diseases.
3. Reduces stress
A new study has found that consuming dark chocolate during stressful situations reduces levels of stress hormones in the blood.
4. Lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL)
A small study was able to show the link between consuming dark chocolate daily and its effect on reduced cholesterol and blood pressure.
5. Enhances brain functions
Chocolate has a great advantage of improving brain cognition, especially in patients suffering from mental damages.
6. Protects your skin
The flavanols present in chocolate can serve as protection for your skin from the sun's rays, by increasing blood flow to the skin tissues and increasing hydration.
Most of these studies were conducted using dark chocolate (which is rich in flavanols), since other types of chocolates contain milk and sugar that have many negative effects such as increasing the risks of obesity, diabetes, acne, heart diseases, high cholesterol levels and more. So before you grab that bar of chocolate make sure it contains at least 70 percent of cocoa.
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