Well, maybe not EXACTLY – but researchers are finding more and more reasons why it’s good to eat one particular kind of chocolate to improve your health.
Dark chocolate (that with cocoa content of at least 60%) contains the same antioxidants found in apples, grapes, green tea and red wine. So let’s see: red wine with dark chocolate – a double healthy treat!
Ongoing studies are showing that eating a square or two of dark chocolate each day can improve your health in the following ways:
- it keep arteries supple which improves blood flow to all parts of the body and protects against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries);
- it helps keep blood pressure down (in this study, participants ate 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day for 15 days. How do you become part of THAT study – sign me up!);
- it helps increase “good” or high-density cholesterol while reducing “bad” or low-density cholesterol;
- it makes you smarter by increasing blood flow to the brain (but we already knew this, didn’t we???);
- it keeps your heart stronger (those who eat dark chocolate regularly have a higher survival rate after heart attacks than those who don’t);
- AND, it’s even good for your teeth! A chemical in dark chocolate has the same effect on hardening tooth enamel as fluoride. Wonder when they’ll come out with chocolate-flavored toothpaste?
I find this news extremely encouraging and thought it a great little gift to brighten your holiday spirits!
HOWEVER….dark chocolate isn’t for everyone, unfortunately. Some women can experience increased premenstrual symptoms or headaches by eating chocolate, and people who have migraines often find chocolate brings on an episode. How unfair – that’s just wrong.
Also, be careful not to use this good news as an excuse to power down several ounces of the stuff every day. Dark chocolate does contain significant calories, and the processing methods used can impart minute parts of lead into the compound, so use moderation in this as in all things.
I like to have a square or two of dark chocolate after dinner as a healthy dessert. I break the square in two and let it melt slowly in the mouth – very satisfying! Also, once you get into it, you’ll find there are exquisite differences among the different brands and strengths of dark chocolate. There are even chocolate tastings, which teach you to appreciate chocolate in the same way as wine-lovers enjoy wine.
So bring on the holidays and enjoy some dark chocolate without guilt, and get ready for a truly Fit and Fabulous 2010!
To the Fit and Fabulous you,
Susan Blais
http://susanblais.com
