Health Benefits of Chocolate

Sometimes we are not aware of a number of nutritious foods around us as we can find in chocolate. Sometimes chocolate is identified as an unhealthy food, whereas chocolate contains a number of good nutrients and health benefits for the human.

Chocolate has a distinctive sweetness, making it almost consumed by everyone in the world. Most of the chocolate content, consisting of various types of substances such as the following:

• 14% carbohydrate content
• 9% protein (consisting of protein substances, phenylalanine, amino acid tryptophan and tyrosin)
• 31% fat
• Other substances, such as alkanoid (a substance that causes chocolate to taste bitter)

A number of substances in chocolate is so diverse that makes good chocolate is consumed and also provide a good impact also for health.

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Chocolate Benefits

Chocolate having an antioxidant compound called flavonoids. Chocolate comes from cacao plants, and cocoa is an incredibly rich flavanols, a type of phytochemical flavonoids. (Other flavanols rich plants include those found in tea benefits, citrus and grape benefits). Sounds simple enough, but consume some type of chocolate that is rich in this flavonoid content, allegedly can affect the health of the body system, here are some of them:

1. Increase Insulin Production

Researchers in Italy recently, conducted a study of 15 people to consume 3 ounces of black chocolate or white chocolate in the same amount, which does not contain phytochemical flavonoids for 15 days. Later this study showed results, that insulin resistance (a risk factor for diabetes) was significantly decreased in those who ate dark chocolate.

2. Influencing Blood Flow Increase

Related to the above research, also found the result of systolic blood pressure (the first number in blood pressure reading), measured daily and also become lower in the group eating dark chocolate. The content of this flavonoid acts as a natural antioxidant of chocolate. These same antioxidants are also present in the benefits of wine.

3. Reduce Heart Attack Risk

A researcher with John Hopkins at the University School of Medicine. In the study, black chocolate can reduce the risk of heart attack by almost 50%, says Diane Becker, MPH, ScD. This is related to the clotting of platelets in the blood that become slower in people who eat chocolate than in those who do not. This is important because when platelets develop clots it can form and block clots in these blood vessels which can then lead to heart attacks.

4. Lose Weight

In contrast to the benefits of fruits that are well known for maintaining weight, consuming chocolate becomes a fear for themselves for people who are doing a diet program. In a study conducted by the University of Copenhagen this resulted in the discovery that dark chocolate gives a more full feeling like guava benefits and apple benefits, than white chocolate. This means it is effective enough to help you lose weight.

5. Sunlight Protection

Protection against sunlight has been conducted research by London researchers on the content of flavanols. The test was carried out for 3 months by consuming chocolate, which developed that the effect of flushing that indicates early burns. But the low chocolate flavanols do not get the same sun protection.

6. Overcoming Diarrhea

Most of us just  know a number of plants that provide support for the treatment of diarrhea as in the benefits of guava leaves. Whereas the cultural history of South America and Europe since the 16th century, giving treatment of diarrhea with cocoa. Then this is reinforced by modern science research. Scientists at the Oakland Children's Hospital Research Institute found that flavonoids in cocoa, will bind to proteins that regulate fluid secretion in the small intestine and potentially stop diarrhea.

7. Increase Intelligence

If you are in a working project situation, which is quite stressful, it's good to consume dark chocolate. Chocolate will not only help reduce the effects of stress on the environment, but will also increase brain power when it is really needed. This condition was discovered by researchers from A University of Nottingham, who found that drinking flavanol-rich cocoa had an effect on increasing blood flow to key parts of the brain for 2 to 3 hours. This can improve the performance and awareness of short oak in the short term.

8. Good For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

In a small study in the UK, about 1 1/2 ounce 85% cocoa dark chocolate was given to a group of adults with chronic fatigue syndrome daily for eight weeks. In the study, which has been submitted for publication, participants reported feeling less after eating chocolate. Surprisingly, there was no weight gain in the group of people, according to researcher Steve Atkin, PhD. The researchers believe that chocolate increases the action of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which helps regulate mood and sleep, but further research is still needed to confirm the benefits of chocolate.

In addition 8 Benefits in the above , chocolate also affects other health on the human body, here are some of them.

• Prevent heart disease
• Lowering blood pressure
• Lowers cholesterol
• Anti-depressant
• Low fat content
• Improve blood circulation
• Avoid chronic fatigue
• Inhibits aging
• Chocolate improves eye health.
• Chocolate reduces cancer risk.
• Chocolate can smooth the skin.
• Chocolate helps us to lose weight.
• Chocolate is very good for Brain Health
• Anti Depression

The Impact of Excess Chocolate

Research around women aged 48 and 83 years for 8 years, concluded that the consumption of chocolate too often resulted in bad effects for the body. Research found about 19 to 30 grams of chocolate consumed per week can reduce heart failure. But those who eat it almost every day, do not look a significant advantage to the heart. Because it can not be denied that chocolate foods that are high in fat can affect body weight.

Therefore, eat chocolate as needed. So we just not get the pleasure of chocolate but we can also get the benefits of chocolate.