Who Says Chocolate Is Bad For Your Health?

You may feel guilty about your love of chocolate, but the truth is that there are times of the year when we can all indulge in a few pieces of chocolate without feeling ill effects. There’s a saying that nine out of ten people love chocolate, and the tenth person is lying.

Chocolate has such a poor reputation from a health standpoint that this may be difficult to believe, but the truth is that we really don’t need to feel guilty about eating it. Chocolate comprised of 70% cocoa is actually a healthy indulgence. However, the relative healthiness of the chocolate you consume will depend on both the quality and the quantity of the chocolate.

First, let’s examine some of the health benefits of chocolate. You may feel like you get a sense of euphoria when eating chocolate, and you’re not imagining it. Chocolate contains a phyto-nutrient, which acts as an endorphin – these are the human body’s natural pleasure hormones.

Chocolate can almost be considered an antidepressant. This could explain why so many people indulge in chocolate when they’re feeling down. Swiss scientists showed that eating 40g of dark chocolate each day lowered the occurrence of stress hormones in the bloodstream, which helps people manage the effects of stress.

There have been many studies conducted on the health benefits of dark chocolate and they’ve turned up some surprising results. One Swedish experiment proved that those who ate chocolate at least twice a week after a heart attack were three times more likely to survive over the following eight-year period.

In a Canadian study that provided chocolate’s health benefits, those who ate chocolate once a week were at a lower risk of stroke over those who did not.

The benefits of chocolate come from the flavinoids found in the cocoa. These substances make potent anti-oxidants and have been shown to protect our genetic material from oxidative damage. The result is that chocolate might be considered an anti-aging compound.

So it’s obvious that there’s no real reason to feel guilty about consuming chocolate once in awhile, whether it’s for the holidays or any other day. Of course, moderation is important – eating a bar of chocolate every day is too much, and it’s best to get chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. If it’s available to you, organic chocolate makes for a great healthy option as well.

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