Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually be good for us? This is the nutrition news we have all been waiting for. So here is the scoop on chocolate and its health benefits. Yes, you read right, health benefits!
Recent studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. They contain a compound called flavonoids which may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers.
It is important that we are all on the same page here, not all chocolate have these health benefits. The healthy flavonoids found in chocolate are found in the cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Milk chocolate is diluted with milk and sugar and contains little amounts of these substances, therefore providing fewer health benefits. So, for those of you who love dark chocolate this is your lucky day! The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more antioxidants it contains. The quality of the chocolate you consume is also important. The cocoa butter is quite pricey so less expensive brands will replace the cocoa butter with milk fats and hydrogenated oils which are bad for our health. Look for high quality chocolates with their main ingredients being cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the purest forms of chocolate you can eat and is lower in fat and calories than other chocolates.
Although this is great news for all chocolate lovers, don't forget that most chocolate (unless you use unsweetened cocoa powder) does still contain sugar and saturated fat.
And please remember calories. An ounce of chocolate contains around 135 calories. So enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or an ounce of chocolate once in awhile to contribute to your health and not to your waistline!
Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has received a bachelor's degree in both nutrition and psychology and has extensive experience in nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. Meri specializes in weight management, cardiovascular health, and sports nutrition and consults with professional athletes at Titan Sports Performance Center. Her practice includes teaching people how to eat for endurance, improve vitality, and lose weight healthfully. For more information visit http://www.reallivingnutriti on.com
top rated cleaning service Lake Forest ..Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with... Read More
The benefits from eating healthy are endless. And, according to... Read More
I start from the premise that eating instinctively means eating... Read More
Coconut oil is less known compare to olive oil, corn... Read More
Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More
Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple... Read More
The key to better health is learning the difference between... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More
LIFESTYLE WELLNESS = An Adventure of Health + Vitality!Not a... Read More
Carbohydrates have gotten a lot of bad press in the... Read More
Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More
Imagine you're a cell.Inside your body runs the machinery that... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
America's focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention... Read More
Do you want more energy? How about more of the... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
Unfortunately, it has been proved beyond doubt that a large... Read More
A lot of people I've talked with about health supplements... Read More
Obesity is epidemic in this country for both children and... Read More
Great news on the chocolate front! Chocolate is good for... Read More
This is such a busy time of year, isn't it?... Read More
When it comes to food, we can't ignore the facts... Read More
Many low carb dieters fall victim to "carb creep," which... Read More
insured cleaning company Morton Grove ..For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance... Read More
Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the... Read More
Do you want more energy? How about more of the... Read More
Your face turns flush and your skin starts to itch.... Read More
To research the health risks Sweet 'N Low and other... Read More
Some of the things you think you know that just... Read More
Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited... Read More
People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of... Read More
Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no... Read More
Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both... Read More
Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy... Read More
With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More
Although many realize that the liver has its own cleansing... Read More
Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy... Read More
It is amazing to be able to say I am... Read More
The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More
For some people it is really hard to give up... Read More
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging,... Read More
Step 1: Eat five to ten servings per day of... Read More
The benefits from eating healthy are endless. And, according to... Read More
Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed... Read More
Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet,... Read More
I'll preface this article by saying that it will help... Read More
Nutrition |