Chocolate has been in the world since the beginning and has its own history. Studies have shown that it is a great cure for diseases like depression. It contains compounds that trigger the hormones that controls feelings like safety, happiness, etc. and as a result can help in changing the mood of a person. That is why people tend to eat a lot of chocolate, especially if they want to enlighten their mood or to ease away depression.
If consumed in moderation chocolate, especially dark chocolate is really beneficial to health. It contains chemicals known as flavanoids which act as antioxidants and help in reducing the effects of free radicals on the body. It helps in protecting body from all the chemicals that enter the body through air or through unhealthy foods. In turn they protect the body from the signs of aging and also help in preventing heart diseases. Another important function that these antioxidants perform is that they help to relax the blood pressure and also help in balancing hormones in the human body.
A small quantity of dark chocolate helps in the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system and thus helps in preventing heart diseases. Eating chocolate can reduce the possibility of getting a heart attack by almost 50%. It helps in reducing blood pressure in people who suffer from a very high pressure. It also keeps the heart healthy by lowering the percentage of bad cholesterol in the body. Chocolate contains serotonin that works as an anti-depressant and helps in calming the nerves. It also contains chemicals like caffeine, theobromine, etc. which are stimulants. They help in calming down the nerves and making person relaxed.
It encourages the production of endorphin in the body which gives a feeling of pleasure. These are actually chemicals that are released by the brain. They help in enhancing the mood of a person. Chocolate also contains vitamins A, B1, C, D and E and a number of other nutrients like potassium, sodium, iron and fluorine that are necessary for a healthy body. After eating chocolate, the flow of blood to the brain increases and it helps in reducing tiredness, drowsiness and even ageing effects. It also increases the metabolism of the sugar present in the blood. This reduces the chances of getting diabetes. In fact chocolate can also lower insulin resistance thus assisting the process of glucose effectively.
With so many advantages of eating chocolate, now you need not feel guilty while taking a chocolaty bite. But looking at the health benefits, do not think that you can eat pounds of chocolate.
As mentioned earlier, having a moderate amount daily will provide you with all the health benefits that you need. Chocolate contains very high calories. So if you eat chocolate containing 100 calories, make sure that you eat 100 calories less in your other meals. Instead of eating only chocolate, eat foods covered in chocolates. Also avoid chocolate with nougat, caramel and such other fillings. They only increase calories. Avoid drinking milk after eating chocolate. Some researchers say that this could slow down the process of absorption of the antioxidants into the body.
Keep these few points in minds and you can have the pleasure of eating chocolate plus the health benefits and minus the calories.
Rakesh Kumar Saini
teechymantra
