by Heide Lynne Canlas

Created on: May 22, 2009

Do you know that chocolates are not always bad for the body? Yes, you read it right! Some chocolates contain substances that the body needs to prevent certain health conditions and illnesses. So, the next time you pass by that chocolate lane in the supermarket, you may want to pick up a few bars and plastic bags of those delicious and nutritious dark chocolates!

Yes, indulge yourself with some dark chocolates!

This seems to be the message implied by recent scientific findings conducted by Associated Press and Pennsylvania State University, which enumerated the benefits of eating dark chocolate. These studies pointed out that dark chocolate may offer benefits such as lowering the blood pressure and promoting higher levels of disease- and age-defying chemicals called antioxidants.

Researchers and nutritionists are long versed in the benefits of cocoa beans, which contain substances called flavonoids, which are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and red wine. It has been suggested in past researches that these chemicals raise good cholesterol levels and act as antioxidants, scavenging free radicals that accelerate aging and cause heart disease and certain cancers.

In a study published in the Journal Nature, participants were made to eat dark chocolate, dark chocolate with milk, and milk chocolate. Only when participants ate dark chocolate did their levels of antioxidants in the blood elevated, suggesting that milk may inhibit the body's absorption of these chemicals.

In another study, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, dark chocolate lowered the blood pressure of mildly hypertensive participants. Participants who ate dark chocolate for at least two weeks reported a drop in blood pressure, as opposed to those who ate white chocolate.

Nevertheless, before one must pig out on dark chocolate, researchers remind the general public that chocolate also contains a lot of saturated fat that is linked with heart disease. Henceforth, the best bet is to consume dark chocolate in moderate amounts and source flavonoids by eating more fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids are also found from these sources and contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that chocolate does not contain. Dark chocolate must be part of a healthy diet, in order to supplement the benefits of eating healthy food.

Sources:

"Is Chocolate Healthy? The Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate and Cocoa Products", Yachana Gourmet

"Chocolate 'has Health Benefits'", BBC News

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