Dark Chocolate Has Healthy Benefits!

Many studies link dark chocolate (cocoa) with health benefits! Of course the dark chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa will be the most beneficial.

The following is a list of just some of the health benefits found in dark chocolate. Heart - Phytochemicals called flavonoids that are found in cocoa have two main positive effects which is good news for dark chocolate lovers!

One, the antioxidants block arterial damage caused by free radicals. These unstable molecules (free radicals) may damage the arterial walls by blocking the artery wall lining. The second indicates, that cocoa, inhibits platelet aggregation which could cause a heart attack or stroke. There have also been studies indicating that cocoa flavonoids relax the blood vessels which inhibit an enzyme that causes inflammation. The benefits of Dark Chocolate are simply delicious!

Dark Chocolate: Good for the Heart, Loaded With Flavonoids!

So here’s what we all want to hear…and news that's hard not to like. Eating a small, 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you. Very good for you!

Now here is a medical experiment you would love to volunteer for. A research group divided 21 healthy adults into two groups. One group got a dark chocolate bar every day for two weeks. Chocolate bars with high-cocoa content, are loaded with something called epicatechin. Epicatechin is a particularly active member of a group of compounds called plant flavoniods. Flavoniods keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.

The second group too, got dark chocolate bars. But their treats had the flavoniods taken out.

All subjects underwent high-tech evaluation of how well the blood vessels dilate and relax -- an indictor of healthy blood vessel function. Blood vessel stiffness indicates diseased vessels and possible atherosclerosis. Those who got the full-flavonoid chocolate did significantly better. Why? Blood tests showed that high levels of epicatechin were coursing through their arteries.

"This is the longest clinical trial to date to show improvement in blood vessel function from consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate daily over an extended period of time." "It is likely that the elevated blood levels of epicatechin triggered the release of active substances that ... increase blood flow in the artery. Better blood flow is good for your heart." So much to our joy…chocolate is here to stay!

All Chocolate Is Created Equal…Our vote is for Dark Chocolate!

Not all chocolate is created equal. Dark Chocolate contains a lot more cocoa than other forms of chocolate. And standard chocolate manufacturing destroys up to half of the flavoniods. But chocolate companies have now learned to make dark chocolate that keeps up to 95% of its flavoniods.

Sure, this seems like a scam. Can't you get more and better flavoniods from other foods? Surprisingly, the answer is "not really."

"Many people don't realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart. And dark is tops.

While a little chocolate is good, a lot is not better. Remember, chocolate, including dark does have calories.

If you're going to eat chocolate, whether dark chocolate, white chocolate or milk chocolate, you'll have to cut back somewhere else. And remember that a balanced diet -- and plenty of exercise -- is still the key to heart health.

This study was funded by the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. The American Cocoa Research Institute, a nonprofit group funded by the chocolate industry, provided the chocolate used in the study.