Lately,
I’ve been working on some health, fitness and nutrition pieces for a client, and
what with it being Valentine’s Day and all, I thought I would share some recent
discoveries I’ve stumbled upon. Chocolate-related discoveries. I present to
you, seven, count ‘em, SEVEN health benefits you get from eating chocolate. (They’re
from legit sources and everything!)
- Chocolate is heart healthy! Studies show cocoa may reduce risk of heart disease.
- Some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced instances of diabetes, stroke and heart attack.
- It helps lower blood pressure and improves vascular function.
- Chocolate has been linked with improved cholesterol levels.
- Chocolate boosts your mood! Chocolate makes us feel good.(Like we needed research to support this one! Clearly if it reverses the effects of Dementors, it's got to be powerful stuff.)
- Chocolate makes you smarter. Seriously! A study published in the Journal of Nutrition says so. See, chocolate has flavonoids. And flavonoids have been linked to increased brain functioning.
- And this one is a real winner. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, reported in the Archives of InternalMedicine, that people who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner than those who never or very rarely consume chocolate. Is this cool or what?!
You’re
welcome. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Now
go eat some chocolate!
Disclaimer
#1: The majority of the good stuff is most prevalent in dark chocolate (65
percent cocoa content and higher), than either milk or white. But hey, it’s
chocolate, right?
Disclaimer
#2: Chocoholics should still try to control themselves. Doctors remind us that
it's important to keep a balanced diet and that all this cool research doesn't
necessarily mean people should start downing daily bars of chocolate. Yaddah,
yaddah, yaddah.
Disclaimer
#3: I’m not a nutrition expert! I merely play one on this blog, particularly
when it comes to the subject of chocolate.
Indulge
at your own risk.
Image
by 1la
6 comments:
Considering I just downed a couple ounces this is all such good news. :)
I'm waiting on that thinner part, though. :)
I hear that! Ha, ha!
What a great blog. And doesn't that chocolate in your picture look luscious?
I agree, it does look delicious! And ever since I wrote this post I've been doing a lot of indulging! Fortunately, we're almost out of chocolate around here. I'm getting out of control. ;o)
Gosh, I need no excuses to eat chocolate. LOL!
So true! But having solid research to back up any residual guilt that might attempt to sneak in is always a bonus, right? ;o)
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