0

Comments

It’s that time of year again, when scrumptious-looking boxes of heart-shaped chocolates seem to pop up wherever you turn. The temptation of these goodies may be overwhelming, and before you know it, oops–they’ve somehow slipped into your shopping cart. But never fear. Whether those chocolates are for someone dear to you or for numero uno, rest assured that a little indulgence can actually be good for you.

Dark Chocolate Can Improve Your Health

It’s one of those things we all intrinsically know–chocolate is good for you. After all, doesn’t everyone feel better after a little nibble of something dark and sweet? Research shows that happiness and psychological well-being tend to be better among chocolate lovers, which makes sense, being that the whole point of eating chocolate is to enter a state of pleasure. More interesting is that chocolate can have a positive impact on your overall health. What other dessert food can make that same claim? As far as I’m aware, it’s just the chocolate.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that when we talk about the health benefits of chocolate, not all chocolates are equal. The good stuff (from a health-related point of view) is found in dark chocolate and cocoa powder. So if you’re deciding between a milk-chocolate candy bar and a piece of dark chocolate almond bark, put down the milk chocolate. It may taste good, but it’s not going to do much for your body.

Chocolate as an Antioxidant

Dark chocolate has two main benefits. Research has focused on its antioxidant properties and its ability to lower blood pressure. The antioxidant action is due to the presence of flavonoids. Flavonoids are the same compounds found in berries, wine, and green tea–other good sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important because they help get rid of free radicals, destructive molecules that can play a role in heart disease and other illnesses. A 2006 study published in the Archive of Internal Medicine found that the risk of developing heart disease was 50 percent lower in men who consumed the most cocoa products.

Chocolate and Your Blood Pressure

Do you suffer from high blood pressure? The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that in one study, participants who ate dark chocolate experienced a significant drop in blood pressure. Eating white chocolate had no such positive benefits. One point to consider is that it took only a very small amount of dark chocolate to produce this effect, so there’s no excuse for over-indulging.

Making the Most of Your Chocolate

These are great health benefits, but in my mind, what’s best about chocolate is simply that it tastes good. It can be the perfect end to a meal, a fantastic little pick-me-up, soothing when you’re down in the dumps, or a way to set the tone for a celebration. It’s also the perfect food to say “I love you”. These are all reasons to eat chocolate, whichever kind and whichever way you choose. But if you’re looking to cash in on those health benefits, keep these points in mind before you chow down.

• Find dark chocolate, or whip up something yummy with cocoa. (Here’s a fabulous-looking brownie dessert.)

• For the benefit of your waistline, keep your serving size small.

•Don’t replace healthy foods with chocolate. Try cutting out other sweets instead.

Other than that, go ahead and enjoy your chocolate, and share it with someone you love!

[Photo by ||!prliignore3||]