London ON Chiropractor Explains the Health Benefits & Use of Chocolate

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

The Way I See It….

I love chocolate. It is the ultimate comfort food, the go-to in times of stress, a mood-enhancer, and romance-inducer. I’m not the only one who enjoys this indulgence. Over $75 billion annually is spent on chocolate worldwide. [1] There is a lot of chocolate eating going on. I am writing this article to help you make smart, healthy choices, so that you can have your chocolate without guilt while experiencing health benefits, as well! Read more to understand the benefits of chocolate in London!

There are a host of medically proven ways in which chocolate – good chocolate, that is, dark chocolate with a cocoa percentage of around seventy percent or more – is good for us.

The Science Behind It…

Here are ten benefits of dark chocolate that are strongly supported by science.

• It’s good for the heart. [2][3][4][5][6][7]

Several observational studies show a drastic reduction in heart disease risk for the people who consume dark chocolate.

• It may reduce the risk of stroke. [8][9][10][11]

The bioactive compounds in cocoa can improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a small but statistically significant decrease in blood pressure.

• It’s nutritious. [12]
  • 100 grams of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa is a good source of:
  • Fibre - 11 grams
  • Minerals - iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc & selenium
  • Good fats – saturated and monosaturated

• It is a powerful antioxidant.  [13]

Cocoa and dark chocolate have a wide variety of powerful antioxidants, way more than most other foods, which is good for your brain, helps fight aging, and may reduce your risk of some types of cancer.

• It may improve cholesterol levels. [14][15]

Dark chocolate can improve cholesterol profile by raising HLD (healthy cholesterol) and lowering LHD (lousy cholesterol).

• It can be good for your skin. [16][17]

Studies show that the flavanols from cocoa can improve blood flow to the skin and protect it against sun-induced damage.

• It may help prevent diabetes. [18][19]

Dark Chocolate can help reduce insulin resistance, a common risk factor for other diseases like diabetes and heart disease. It may lower blood pressure and aid in blood sugar control.

• It may improve brain function. [20][21][22][23]

The flavonoids in chocolate can help improve blood flow to the brain, help protect against free radical damage, improve learning, focus, and memory, and may help reduce stress. [24]

• It may reduce the risk of some cancers. [25]

Research in this area is limited, but existing data does show that flavonoids could be considered as a useful cancer-preventive approach. For example, some studies show that eating chocolate may help support healthy gut bacteria which would reduce inflammation, therefore reducing intestinal illnesses, including colon cancer.

• It can help you feel better. [26]

Dark chocolate is rich in lots of chemicals that affect your brain.  It contains anandamine which has been shown to help ease anxiety. It also contains serotonin and tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin in the body, which plays a role in influencing your mood. Tryptophan has been shown to have antidepressant effects in some cases of mild depression. It contains caffeine which increases alertness.  Finally, it contains phenylethylamine (PEA), often known as the love drug. It causes the release of the same chemicals as those that are released when you fall in love.

What This Means for You…

Follow these guidelines when choosing the chocolate you want to eat:

• Eat chocolate in moderation, about 1-2 oz, 2-3 times per week.
• 70% or higher cocoa percentage
• Cocoa or a form of cocoa is the first on the ingredient list.
• Avoid unnecessary ingredients like trans fat, milk, artificial flavorings, high amounts of sugar, high fructose corn syrup,  etc.
• Choose fair-trade, organic chocolate whenever possible as it is more likely to be high-quality, ethically sourced, and pesticide-free.

Sources

1. http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-sweet-history-of-chocolate
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16505260/
3. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/benefits-of-chocolate-heart-health
4. http://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2015/05/20/heartjnl-2014-307050
5. http://www.sacredchocolate.com/docs/sacredpdf/chocolate-consumption-reverse-atherosclerotic-plaque.pdf
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20858571
7. http://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-3-2
8. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/207783
9. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/95/3/740.long
10. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/412211
11. http://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/Abstract/2003/12000/Flavanol_rich_cocoa_induces_nitric_oxide_dependent.16.aspx
12. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/10638/2
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038885/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17513403
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19005437
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16702322
17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19735513
18. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/9/1671.long
19. http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/46/2/398.long
20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16794461
21. http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/60/3/794.short
22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26089927
23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19005437
24. https://bebrainfit.com/brain-benefits-dark-chocolate/
25. http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?id=17893
26. http://www.healthsomeness.com/chocolate-make-happy/
27. https://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate/
28. https://draxe.com/benefits-of-dark-chocolate/