Yes, you did read that headline right, there are a number of health benefits to eating chocolate. In particular: dark chocolate. If you’ve got a sweet tooth and constantly crave chocolate, you might want to consider switching up your milk or white chocolate to dark. Your body will thank you, and here’s why.
Weight Loss
It may seem dubious to say that eating chocolate can help you lose weight but hear us out. According to certain studies, eating 30 grams of dark chocolate a day can help with weight loss. It can also help with insulin resistance and regulate your blood sugar levels – lowering your risk of diabetes. A bonus of eating dark chocolate is that it can help with your food cravings, too. Dark chocolate is much richer than other chocolates, so it can fill you up faster. Remember to get a bar with more cocoa than sugar.
Brain Health
On that note, when you’re buying chocolate make sure to look for bars which are 70% cocoa or above. Some studies have shown this kind of chocolate can increase neuroplasticity in the brain. Essentially this can improve your mood, memory and cognition. Chocolate can stimulate the part of your brain associated with pleasure and reward, which makes you feel less stressed. Remember, though, that moderation is key, and you shouldn’t always use chocolate as a way of making yourself feel better!
Healthy Skin
You may associate eating chocolate with breakouts and bad skin, but the right kind of chocolate actually does the opposite. Certain studies have shown bioactive compounds in dark chocolate can help against sun damage. The flavonols in the food can also help with blood flow, which can increase skin density and hydration. So you may want to consider having a couple of squares of dark chocolate in the weeks leading up to your next sunny holiday.
Improve Heart
Those flavonols we mentioned earlier can do your body a lot of good. Eating dark chocolate can help your heart – keeping your veins and arteries supple. This can lower your risk of heart disease. It can also help lower cholesterol and improve your blood flow. On top of all of this, it’s such a nutritious snack as it’s naturally high in iron, magnesium, copper and manganese.
Dark chocolate has a number of health benefits. Remember, the darker the better. Moderation is key so make sure to savour the pieces you eat. What’s your favourite sweet treat?
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