I am probably the last person to even talk about dark chocolate because I have had one bite of it (literally one) and I thought Lord, this is so rich in cocoa, it doesn’t even taste like regular chocolate and why should I bother and put my taste buds through this torture. I love chocolate but this on its own was enough for me to try and actually find the benefits of having dark chocolate. People love this weird tasting chocolate so there has got to be a healthy kind of reason behind this obsession.
I have also wondered if people actually think that having dark chocolate helps them lose weight faster, therefore, eliminating the need to go to the gym altogether. According to Frontiers in Pharmacology, a study on the cocoa diet showed that a cocoa diet could be beneficial in certain immune processes. This study also mentioned the benefits of chocolate on your immune system. These benefits include increasing your defense against infection and decreasing the inflammation once an infection has happened.
Before confusing ourselves even more, let’s dive right in on the many benefits that dark chocolate may have:
- Studies have also shown that eating chocolate 20 minutes before and five minutes after lunch and dinner cuts your appetite by up to 50 percent. The flavonoids help decrease the potential for insulin resistance. The same study however also showed that dark chocolate decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy persons.
- The flavanols in dark chocolate can help your skin look its best. The antioxidants in flavanol help your skin protect itself from UV damage, fight free radicals, and increase blood flow resulting in fewer wrinkles and a healthier glow.
- Research suggests chocolate may boost your memory, reaction time, attention span, and problem-solving abilities by increasing blood flow to your brain. (This one is quite interesting).
- Researchers at The University of Copenhagen found that dark chocolate eliminates cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods like as it gives one feeling satiety. Experts say dieters who eat chocolate occasionally are also able to maintain weight loss as they don’t feel deprived.
- Research has found that regular consumers are less stressed, sleep better and have lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Dark chocolate is also loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals, which can damage our cells.
It is recommended that one has about 100 grams of dark chocolate every day to enjoy the full benefits of dark chocolate. I may not be totally sold on the idea, but I know you may be. Have you had it before, how was it like, did you enjoy it, is it your go-to chocolate now when you feel like something sweet? Let us know. Also if you’ re almost like me, how about you try ot out and tell us how it goes, I might get inspired.
