Chocolate actually is good for us. This is the nutrition news we have all been waiting for. And chocolate actually have a health benefits.Recent studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. They contain a compound called flavonoids which may help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers.
However, not all chocolate have these health benefits. The healthy flavonoids found in chocolate are found in the cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Milk chocolate is diluted with milk and sugar and contains little amounts of these substances, therefore providing fewer health benefits.
The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more antioxidants it contains. The cocoa butter is quite pricey so less expensive brands will replace the cocoa butter with milk fats and hydrogenated oils which are bad for health. Look for high quality chocolates with their main ingredients being cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the purest forms of chocolate can be eaten and is lower in fat and calories than other chocolates.Although this is great news for all chocolate lovers, don’t forget that most chocolate does still contain sugar and saturated fat. An ounce of chocolate contains around 135 calories. Therefore, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or an ounce of chocolate once in awhile to contribute to health and not to waistline.
Chocolate A Healthy Food
