The pros of eating chocolate

Read about the surprising number of health benefits that you can attain simply from enjoying a little chocolate.

Over the years, we have all been made aware of the health risks associated with eating too much of it. Chocolate constantly gets slammed for causing tooth decay, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes among other things. Most of these, however, can be attributed to the high fat and sugar contents of products containing cocoa.

Despite the poor reputation, chocolate is still relentlessly popular among persons of all ages.

Chocolate is sold in every conceivable form, as can be: bars, cereals, cakes, puddings, ice creams, hot and cold beverages, and cookies are some of the more popular varieties.

It is all the more frustrating as consuming anything containing some chocolatey goodness leads to serious guilt afterwards due to years and years of being told how detrimental it is to our health.

You can begin putting such guilt behind you, as several recent researches prove that chocolate is actually good for you.

It can lower the chances of heart diseases

According to a 2011 study, having chocolate regularly may aid in lowering the risk of heart diseases by a third. Supposedly, the more chocolate is eaten, the less risk there is of cardiometabolic disorders.

The observations of another study suggest that consuming 100g daily leads to a lower risk of stroke and heart disease.

Lower risk of stroke

A research that involved over 40,000 people discovered that individuals who ate chocolate were 22% less likely to experience a stroke compared to the ones who did not.

In the same study, it was found that eating 2 ounces a week reduced the likelihood of dying from a stroke by 46%.

Chocolate is highly beneficial during pregnancy

A paper presented at the 2016 Pregnancy Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Foetal Medicine advocated that chocolate is beneficial to the foetus’ health.

An expectant mother can greatly help in the growth and development of the foetus by eating an ounce daily during her pregnancy.

‘Bad cholesterol’ reduction

The findings of a 2008 article indicate that chocolate consumption may aid in cutting down low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterols, referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’, are the kind responsible for building up plaque in arteries and heart diseases.

A part of the study’s conclusion stated, ‘Regular consumption of chocolate bars containing PS and CF, as part of a low-fat diet, may support cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and improving blood pressure.’

It may improve athletic performance

A paper published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2015 suggests that dark chocolate intake will result in improved oxygen supply during fitness training.

It is believed that flavanols called epicatechins found in dark chocolate are responsible for this effect. Epicatechins encourage the body’s release of nitric oxide and thus the increased oxygen availability.

Improved cognitive function

Researchers had found that when older people drank hot chocolate daily, their brain functions would improve, and they would have better memory retention.

According to the research’s lead: ‘As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.’

With so many benefits scientifically linked to eating chocolate, a little extra weight does not sound like a bad bargain. VIVO Clinic’s Cryolipolysis can help you get rid of that extra fat you may gain.