For many, chocolate is a sort of guilty pleasure - we eat it, but we don't feel like we should be enjoying it so much. However, chocolate can provide real benefits when eaten in moderation.
Next time you bite into that chocolate bar, consider this: chocolate has over 300 chemicals, many of which are beneficial to your health. Some of them lift your mood and can suppress appetite if taken before a meal. The cacao bean fights tooth decay through its antibacterial properties. In traditional Mexican medicine, chocolate has been used to help bronchitis sufferers and soothe insect bites. Chocolate also contains flavanoids, which may help blood vessels to remain supple. Just the scent of chocolate alone may cause your brain to experience theta waves, which relax you. It can also help lower blood pressure.
Generally speaking, the darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants it has. Why are antioxidants so important? They are the one of the key elements in fighting cancer. Cells become cancerous through a complicated process in which oxidization plays a big part. The more antioxidants you eat, the more resistant your cells will be to cancer.
Milk chocolate is higher in sugar and fat than dark chocolate, and has a smaller amount of cacao. However, you can safely eat normal amounts of either. Get rid of the guilt - chocolate really is good for you!
