There have been many different experts over the years saying to avoid candy. But one type of candy could actually be part of a healthy diet as it has multiple health benefits. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can provide you with several health benefits if it consumed in moderation.
Chocolate is Brain Food
There are a few scientific reasons that we love to eat chocolate. Chocolate can increase blood flow to the brain which will enhance cognitive functions, and could even help relieve a headache. As the chocolate is helping your brain, it will also decrease your overall blood pressure and reduce stress. The main reason that we love chocolate is that it contains phenylethylamine, which is an endorphin that the brain creates when you are falling in love. This means that giving someone you love a chocolate candy bouquets will not only show them you care but will trigger feelings of happiness when they begin to eat it.
Chocolate is Heart Healthy
If you are concerned with your heart health, chocolate can be helpful in that area too. Dark chocolate contains the same antioxidants that are found in fruits and vegetables called flavonoids. Research has shown that increasing the number of flavonoids in your diet will reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. Chocolate can even help to prevent white blood cells from sticking to your arteries. Which can even reduce the chances of having a stroke. Chocolate can help with your cholesterol as well. It actually increases the levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, while reducing the levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol.
Chocolate is Diet Friendly
Chocolate can even help you lose weight! If you allow a small square of dark chocolate to melt in your mouth 20 minutes before you eat, it will trigger the receptors in your brain to feel full sooner. This means you will eat less during a meal and be able to reduce your calorie intake during the day. If you follow your meal with another small square it will keep the brain feeling full longer and reduce the chances of snacking.
The key to gaining the most health benefits from chocolate is to ensure that you don’t over indulge. While it might be easy and tempting to eat tons of chocolate, the benefits that you can gain from it doesn’t increase exponentially with the amounts you consume. By having a small amount of good quality chocolate every day you can collect the health benefits without the guilt of eating an entire box of chocolate.
