4 Reasons Chocolate Is Good for Your Health

[Hum]

The most recent evidence of this comes from an August study in the journal Neurology.  Researchers found that chocolate may help older people keep their brains healthy and their thinking sharp. Study participants who drank two cups of cocoa daily for 30 days showed an 8.3 percent increase in blood flow to the brain, and they improved their scores on memory and thinking tests.

This new finding is promising, but it's not the only health benefit that seems to come as a result of eating chocolate. Here are three more reasons why it's smart to keep chocolate in your diet.

 

    Heart Healthy ? Daily chocolate consumption may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in some high-risk patients, according to a 2012 study in the journal BMJ.

 

    Potentially Slimming ?  If you've always thought of chocolate as a fat-inducing food, you may want to reacquaint yourself with this tasty treat. One study found that people who eat chocolate regularly are more likely to be thinner than those who don't. People in the study who admitted to eating chocolate five times per week or more had a lower BMI (Body Mass Index) than those who ate chocolate less frequently, according to the 2012 study published the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

 

    Appetite Control ? Chocolate contains filling fiber, which is a natural appetite suppressant. So, if you give in to that chocolate craving, you may end up eating fewer calories than if you tried to avoid chocolate.

Although there are many reasons to enjoy chocolate, it's also important to be smart about your consumption. Here are some tips for choosing high-quality chocolate, so you can retain all of its nutritional goodness.

The darker the chocolate, the better for your health. Pure chocolate is actually quite bitter, which is why it is almost always combined with other ingredients in a chocolate bar. But the chocolate part of that bar is what contains the good stuff: fiber, magnesium and antioxidants.

Make your own hot cocoa.  Hot cocoa that comes out of a packet is convenient, but it could be better for your health. To boost the nutritional profile of your hot cocoa, buy unsweetened powdered chocolate, and add your own sweetener. Also, keep it as dark as you can handle.

Get creative with cocoa. If you don't like the idea of eating a dark chocolate bar or drinking cocoa regularly, you have some other options. Try sprinkling powdered cocoa in your oatmeal or cold cereal.

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[Dotdot]

Cant beat a seriously "dark" bar of chocolate.

Mmmmmmm, yummy!

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Silly scientists. I don't need a reason to eat chocolate! Although it's good to know that I can use these as an excuse if someone ever asks me.

[Torolol]

the 'evil' about "chocolate" is not the chocolate itself, but the other ingredients that mixed on it.

[(Account no longer active)]

Does "researchers" = Cadbury/Nestle?

 

Here's four reasons why it's not:

- too much will stress the pancreas and liver and weaken the immune system (these two systems are critical for a prolonged life)

- there's a good chance that mouth ulcers and tooth cavities will form if teeth/gums are not cleaned after consumption

- you don't need much to start putting on weight and to increase your blood sugar level

- too much may cause certain skin imperfections

 

The secret to a long life is to avoid processed sugar foods/drinks at all costs (one serving (ie. dessert) every week (preferably two weeks) is okay). Get (natural) sugar from fruit instead. And don't overeat.

 

Also, get suitable levels of vitamin D from the sun (not from tablets), and do some physical activity for a few hours a week, like gardening or cleaning up the house - you don't have to run a marathon.

[psionicinversion]

same with everything though, good in moderation

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

and they improved their scores on memory and thinking tests.

 

I wonder, if you give the same kind of test to the same group of people twice, how often would they do better on it the second time?

[Growled Member]

Was this study funded by Hershey? :D

[Charisma Veteran]

Was this study funded by Hersey? :D

I doubt it, since Hershey chocolate is terrible and most of their products wouldn't provide the health benefits described here. Real dark chocolate with minimal additions is best. Once it's heavily processed with lots of milk and sugar it's not really worth it anymore.

[Growled Member]

I doubt it, since Hershey chocolate is terrible and most of their products wouldn't provide the health benefits described here. Real dark chocolate with minimal additions is best. Once it's heavily processed with lots of milk and sugar it's not really worth it anymore.

 

Oh, I know. I just trying to be slightly clever since the first thing everyone hollers when a computer study is done is "it's funded by Microsoft."

 

And for the record I love chocolate and have never met any bad chocolate. It's all real good to me.

[tsupersonic]

I doubt it, since Hershey chocolate is terrible and most of their products wouldn't provide the health benefits described here. Real dark chocolate with minimal additions is best. Once it's heavily processed with lots of milk and sugar it's not really worth it anymore.

I feel so bad for people who think Hershey chocolate is actually "good" chocolate. They are missing out on so many good things :P

 

But, yeah, in moderation, chocolate is great. 

[Charisma Veteran]

I feel so bad for people who think Hershey chocolate is actually "good" chocolate. They are missing out on so many good things :p

 

But, yeah, in moderation, chocolate is great. 

I'm not big on chocolate in the first place, but I do like some good-quality dark now and then. Maybe with raspberry or caramel. Hershey's smells like vomit to me :laugh:

[notchinese]

I don't get the Hershey hate. I have been to a number of places in Europe and always try chocolate while I'm there. Its good, but Hershey is good too.

[Hum]

Was this study funded by Hershey? :D

Never tasted any chocolate better than Hershey. :p

 

[Growled Member]

I don't get the Hershey hate. I have been to a number of places in Europe and always try chocolate while I'm there. Its good, but Hershey is good too.

 

Like they say, haters are gonna hate.

[Raa]

I feel like some chocolate now...

[Charisma Veteran]

Never tasted any chocolate better than Hershey. :p

 

I have a box of nice Belgian chocolates at home. Come over and I will blow your mind, man.

 

(inb4 someone makes a dirty joke about my last sentence: don't even try it :laugh:)

[Hum]

^ On my way to 'bama