Home | Nutrition
As Good For Your Heart As Aspirin? That’s what the University of California says after studying chocolate’s role in history. Chocolates that retain their phytochemicals during production have similar effects on your blood as drinking red wine or taking an aspirin a day.(1) Harvard researchers found that a few pieces of chocolate every month might make your life both sweeter and longer. The researchers studied the chocolate consuming habits of more than 7,800 men. Those who ate chocolate 1-3 times a month lived longest. Those who indulged 3 or more times a week died earlier. Those who ate no chocolate at all died the earliest; up to a year earlier (2). Studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (3) and Nature (4) found that polyphenols in dark chocolate help reduce blood pressure. They also protect the body against oxidative stress. Fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine, and cocoa beans contain these healthful compounds. Doctors in Finland found a link between chocolate and cholesterol. Those who ate regular chocolate had their HDL levels, (good cholesterol) go up by 11.4%. Dark chocolate was even better, producing a rise of 13.7% (5). And a study of Kuna Indians pointed to cocoa as the main factor in their low rates of hypertension. Those who drank large amounts of the cocoa showed high levels of nitric oxide, which helps open up blood vessels and increase blood flow. This effect disappeared when the Indians stopped drinking the cocoa (6). The Right Chocolate for YOU Before you stock up on Reese’s™ and Snickers™, the chocolate the Kuna Indians drank isn’t the same as from grocery store shelves. The processing strips away many of the healthy compounds. Plus, your average Swiss Miss™ comes loaded with sugar and chemicals. You can find unadulterated chocolate at your local nutrition store. Look for 70% pure cocoa and sugar-free that is approved for diabetics. It’s a little bitter but the chocolate flavor is strong and satisfying. Eat a piece of chocolate every weekend as a treat and don’t worry about calories if you buy the dark, high cocoa and sugar-free brands. My recommended brand is YC chocolate. Another way to enjoy the benefits of chocolate is adding sugar-free cocoa powder to your coffee. The taste is great without the fat of the calories.
Article Source: http://www.bodyformind.com/db
Dov Oshri is the author of the revolutionary Anti-Aging Fitness Program "Change Your Body and Be Admired". He is the chief editor of Body for Mind – a Wellness Lifestyle for Successful People. His cutting edge Anti-Aging Fitness Program can be downloaded for FREE at www.bodyformind.com
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
# of Ratings = 2 | Rating = 3/5
