Is There Health Benefits to Chocolate?

 

If there is one thing that most people can agree on it is their love for chocolate.

But are there any health benefits to consuming chocolate?

Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. a nutritionist stated that,

"Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols — which are more prevalent in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate or white chocolate — also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. In addition, some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack."

Although "...The evidence for the health benefits of chocolate comes mostly from short-term and uncontrolled studies. More research is needed. "

In other wards if you plan on incorporating chocolate into your diet here

are several guidelines:

 

1. Stay away from milk and white chocolate: these have ingredients that contain fat and sugar.

 

 

2. Choose dark chocolate: with cocoa content of 65 percent or higher.

 

 

3. Limit yourself to 3 ounces a day: which is the amount that some studies have found helpful.

 

 

 

 

4. Eating this amount may provide up to 450 calories: you may want to cut calories in other areas or step up the exercise to compensate.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Friday all!

 

Best Regards,