It's never a surprise when we hear chocolate listed among most people's favourite foods. It's certainly at the top of our list! It's smooth, creamy, sweet... all the characteristics of a fantastic treat.
Make cocoa and chocolate part of your healthy eating regimen
Even more than simply a sweet treat, if you choose your chocolate wisely (dark!), it's loaded with amazing health benefits. Cocoa is truly a superfood. Rich in antioxidants and proven to improve skin quality, heart and blood vessel health as well as neurodegenerative diseases, it also has the added benefit of elevating mood – it makes you happy!
Did you know that the average American consumes roughly 12 pounds of chocolate each year, and over $75 billion is spent annually worldwide on chocolate? That's a lot of chocolate!
And, while there's a whole lot of chocolate being consumed, it's important to understand that not all chocolate is created equal. The potential health benefits of processed, highly sweetened chocolate are slim to none, but, good news: the health benefits of dark chocolate are so numerous as to be pretty darned impressive!
10 benefits of eating cocoa and dark chocolate
Cocoa has been used in medicine and body rituals for centuries throughout the world. It originated in the Americas and was brought to Europe with colonization. Among the benefits listed below, cocoa can be helpful in reducing fatigue, weight management, stimulating the nervous system, and improving digestive function.
Cocoa is Good For the Skin.
The abundance of antioxidant properties in cocoa flavonols are good for skin health.
A study on 24 healthy women who consumed high amounts of cocoa flavanols concluded that cocoa flavanols provide protection from UV rays, improve blood circulation, and contribute to skin hydration, helping keep it soft and less flakey.
Another study found that cocoa flavanols improve blood circulation and increase oxygen concentration in the skin.
Amazingly, a different study looked at 11 smokers and found that the consumption of flavanols can actually reverse skin damage caused by smoking.
High in Antioxidants: Providing Protection from Disease-Causing Free Radicals
Antioxidants help stimulate the oxygen-based radicals in the body. Polyphenols in cocoa are antioxidants that prevent free radicals from damaging cells.
According to a recent comparative medical study, cocoa has a higher antioxidant capacity than red wine, green and black tea.
Beneficial to Brain Health
Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids that may help you maintain a healthy brain. It provides valuable neuroprotective elements that can improve brain health and cognitive function.
Flavonoids are known to contribute to brain health by protecting, enhancing function, and creating new neurons. They can also reverse neuron damage in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Flavonoids, primarily catechin and epicatechin, cross the blood-brain barrier and localize in areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning, which is where most neurodegeneration occurs. Studies have concluded that consumption of cocoa can increase blood flow in the brain as well as improve working memory in healthy adults.
Stabilizes Blood Pressure
Cocoa has the capacity to stabilize blood pressure. The flavonoid in cocoa beans not only lowers the blood pressure but improves the elasticity of veins and blood vessels. Additionally, the valuable antioxidants in cocoa increase the stimulation of nitric oxide to control the exerted pressure of blood vessels.
A recent study of 15 healthy adults identified that the higher the concentration of flavanols, the greater the effect of cocoa on reducing blood pressure. For those who consumed dark chocolate, with its high concentration of flavonols, saw a significant impact compared to those who consumed white chocolate (devoid of beneficial flavonols).
May Help Prevent Heart Disease
In studies conducted at Cleveland Clinic, the research has identified that flavanols have a very positive effect on heart health. The powerful antioxidant helps lower blood pressure and improving blood flow