Posted on 1 September, 2011
Chocolate: Just the word can send most women into blissful daydreams. Is it the texture, the taste or the effects that women have fallen in love with? Perhaps it is the fact that we are bombarded with the message that chocolate is bad for you. Did you know that chocolate was originally thought to be a gift from the gods? The Aztec Mayans were the ones to discover this blissful treat. Despite what we were told growing up - that chocolate is not good for you, we have now chocolate is now considered to be healthy. To a degree though. There are substances within chocolate that are healthy, they are called flavonoids. Flavonoids are phytochemicals that help to fight prostate cancer. One word of caution though, too much chocolate is not always a good thing. As most can attest to, if one eats too much chocolate the following affects can occur: headaches, tummy aches and the ban of every parent - cavities. The flavonoids found in chocolate, or most specifically cocoa, have powerful antioxidant effects that are called procyanidins. Compounds from the same family can be found in grape juice and also in green tea. When consumed, the antioxidants in our blood stream increases, which is beneficial to our health. There are so many different types of chocolate however, so one must not assume that they are all the same. White chocolate and milk chocolate - despite how terrific they taste - are no substitute for dark chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the better for you. Which means, when you are searching for a chocolate bar to taste, always choose one that has at least 70% or more cocoa. What do the antioxidants found in chocolate do for us? It helps to prevent heart disease, cancer and it guards our DNA from any damage that could lead to cancer. It also prevents inflammation and suffocates prostate cancer by cutting the blood stream that feeds them. There is another aspect to flavonoids - the flavonoids found in chocolate also help our blood vessels to flow properly. So just imagine - with every bite of dark chocolate you take, you are helping your body to function properly. Do not be mistaken though. While chocolate indeed is a gift from the gods, it should not be substituted for the fruits and vegetables that our bodies need, but it can be considered an additional treat - not just to our body but also to our cravings. Who knew chocolate could be so good for us? |
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