Is Chocolate Really Good For You?
Posted by MyChoices on 02/21/08 in Food and Drink
Could it really be true? Can chocolate really be good for you? I was floored (and very happy) when I heard on the news recently that researchers have discovered that chocolate has some health benefits associated with it. Curiosity got the best of me and I went and did a little more research. Surprisingly, I found many articles on the web that agree with this discovery. Apparently chocolate contains what are called flavonols, which are high in antioxidants. What is even better is that these flavonols can help lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol and potentially prevent blood clots. It can also give a mild energy boost, decrease anxiety, relieve pain, and make a person feel happier.
Now, personally, I would not recommend that you eat every candy bar and chocolate tidbit that you can find. Even if chocolate does have some health benefits it is still high in fat content (of course there is always a downside). Also, different chocolates have different levels of flavonols. Not all kinds of chocolate are created equal. I know, it sounds strange to say that one chocolate is healthier than another. From what I read during my research, the chocolate that contains the highest levels of flavonols is Dark chocolate because it does not go through as much processing as other chocolates such as chocolate syrups, chocolate powders, and milk chocolate. Just like vegetables, when you process chocolate too much it loses its health benefits. When you boil or cook vegetables they lose some of their important vitamins and when you process chocolate it loses a lot of its flavonols.
We all know that chocolate probably is not the best snack for those of us that are watching our waistlines. However, for those of us that have an insatiable craving for chocolate this is really good news. Maybe now we can relax just a little bit while we enjoy our chocolate (in moderation of course). I know I will not feel quite as guilty now about sneaking a piece or two of dark chocolate every now and then.
Tina is a wife and a mother of two picky teenagers. She loves to cook, read, and write. She also loves to research all topics that have to do with food. This stems from a quest to make meals that everyone in her family will enjoy. This has also resulted in some surprising finds as well as many many new recipes. She loves to share her findings by writing articles about them. She has also set up several recipe websites in order to share some of her recipes. These include: http://www.temptingchickenrecipes.com, http://www.allbeveragerecipes.com, and http://www.dessert-diner.com.
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