Category: Chocolate World

15 Awesome health benefits of dark chocolate with [Infographic]

Is dark chocolate bad for your health? How does dark chocolate help on risk heart attack? How can dark chocolate help to maintain good blood pressure? Is dark chocolate good for your skin? If these questions surprise you, then read on, because we’ve identified awesome benefits of dark chocolate! Read on to discover 15 amazing benefits of dark chocolate. I’m betting that the following information will challenge your perceptions of dark chocolate.

You are passing by a well-known chocolate shop and you are killing your craving for Dark chocolate. You had high-calorie meal earlier and this chocolate will spoil your diet plan with 20 minutes extra workout for next 3 days, is there any health benefits of dark chocolate?

Every 6 out of 10 people kill their desire of eating Dark chocolate because they think it is bad for health.

But, on the contrary, if we eat a proportion of good quality dark chocolate then it is proven to be healthier compared to other food.

Well, now you must be wondering if there are really any dark chocolate health benefits? And if ever these benefits exist, still many are not aware.Don’t worry today we will be discussing these benefits to clear all your misconceptions of dark chocolate is unhealthy.

Children are often obsessed with chocolates, and these chocolates when eaten in excess lead to many health ailments like tooth decay, enamel deterioration, upset stomachs and much more in the count.Well if we see the overall chocolate consumption that is prevalent among youngsters, it is basically the sugar coated chocolates which actually cause the issue.parents need to be made aware that just replacing these sugar coated chocolates with the dark variants will surely benefit everyone.lets have an overview of the benefits that dark chocolate beholds.

The purpose of this article is to spread awareness about Health benefits of consuming dark chocolate as well as making you aware how people have already adopted the chocolate eating changes for Thier own good.Before jumping on the benefits let us have an overview of the chocolate consumption incorporated in different countries

Chocolate consumption by countries.

If you are a chocolate researcher you would be surely aware that world class chocolates are made in Switzerland, having said that Switzerland is, of course, the most chocolate consumed country that accounts for approximately 20 pounds per capital each year followed by Germany. I found this interesting infographic from Forbes by Niall McCarthy.

chocolate-consumption-infographic
chocolate consumption infographic

Info-graphic was taken from Forbes Statista.com

So, what are the health benefits of Dark chocolate?

1. Dark Chocolate is full of Nutrition

Yes, you read it right dark chocolate is piled with useful nutrition.We often note the nutritional value of any food before we buy it. So why don’t we take a glance at the nutritional content of Dark chocolate, eventually it will give a clear picture about its healthiness.

Note: You must buy good quality dark chocolate with high cocoa content. Whatever you eat by assuming that it is chocolate isn’t healthy and nutritious.

Dark Chocolate ( 70-85% Cocoa Solids) Nutrition value per 100gm (3.5 oz) in below screenshot.

Dark-Chocolate-Nutritional-Facts
Dark Chocolate Nutritional Facts

This screenshot is taken from Wikipedia.

It also has Omega 3 fatty acid to a larger extent. Saturated and monounsaturated fat with a pinch of polyunsaturates is good for health.

Stimulants like caffeine are also present in very fewer quantities if we compare dark chocolate with coffee.

Last but not the least theobromine which also helps body nutritional building.

Chocolaty Point: Better quality of dark chocolate has Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, few minerals.

Is dark chocolate bad?

After looking at its nutritional fact, definitely not.

2. Dark Chocolate can prevent Cancer.

You kidding me, well even I didn’t believe this.

Yes, it is very hard to believe. Dark chocolate you eat may also help you prevent cancer.

But, how dark chocolate plays any role in the prevention of cancer?

Researchers from their research found that dark chocolate does help in the prevention of cancer. Scientists are striving to take this study to further levels and gather more information regarding this concern in mere future.

Flavonoids available in Dark chocolate is one probable reason which helps in the prevention of cancer.

US Cancer Institute has conducted a study which will be helpful in this context click here to read.

 

Health-Benefits-of-Dark-Chocolate
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

3. Disease protection -Dark Chocolate health benefit

Dark chocolate has the free radical fighting ability.

Our body creates an unbalanced compound by a cellular process called Free radicals.  They fight against environmental toxins exposed to our body during our day to day activities.

We must have antioxidants to neutralise free radicals and protect the body from its damage.

Chocolaty Point: Dark chocolate contains antioxidants which come from cocoa, which plays important role in our body.

4. Dark chocolate helps on the risk of heart attack!

Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate for two or three times a week can help lower your blood pressure.

Dark chocolate improves blood flow followed by avoiding the formation of blood clots. It lowers the risk of stroke.

Flavonoids, an antioxidant present in the dark chocolate increases the flexibility of arteries and veins which help in reducing the risk of heart attack which proves to be the most important health benefit of dark chocolate.

It is not good to eat any chocolate. !!!well you must eat high cocoa contained dark chocolate.

All these valuable nutrients like flavonoid, antioxidant comes along with some amount of sugar, milk and butter. Oops Freaked out? Don’t worry. Exercise daily and it will compensate alternative element which will boost the effect of main nutrients.

Don’t just think that by eating chocolate (any normal chocolate) everything happens nicely with my body.

Chocolaty Point: Some study shows a reduction in heart disease risk for the people who consume  more dark chocolate(high quality)

5. Dark chocolate and cholesterol

Polyphenols which comes from cocoa in dark chocolate plays an important role in cardiovascular disease.

How?

When we consume polyphenol rich Dark chocolate 2-3 times per week, the HDL ( good ) cholesterol level increases and the LDL ( bad ) cholesterol level decreases. Potentially results in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

6. Dark chocolate lowers the blood pressure

When you eat polyphenol rich dark chocolate it lowers the blood pressure. Why so? Due to decreasing the LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol. It improves the blood flow too.

Cocoa’s polyphenol helps to drop the prevalence of hypertension.

The flavanols in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce Nitric Oxide (NO), which is a gas.

Dark chocolate Lowers high blood pressure, says, Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany. Their report appears in the Aug. 27 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Chocolates made in Europe are generally richer in cocoa phenols than those made in the U.S.

Always remember: Darker is better 😉

This information is taken from Daniel J Denoon’s article click here to know more about him.

Below is Health benefits of the dark chocolate infographic.

Chocolaty Point: Polyphenol present in cocoa/Dark chocolate can improve blood flow and decrease blood pressure.

Health-Benefits-of-Dark-Chocolate-infographic
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

7. Diabetic protection.

Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and circulation unimpaired protecting against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help to reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently.

Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won’t cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

It sounds mad, but cocoa has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. So dark chocolate – in moderation – might delay or prevent the onset of diabetes.

In a small Italian study, participants who ate a candy bar’s worth of dark chocolate once a day for 15 days saw their potential for insulin resistance drop by nearly half. “Flavonoids increase nitric oxide production,” says lead researcher Claudio Ferri, M.D., a professor at the University of L’Aquila in Italy. “And that helps control insulin sensitivity.”  These research details are taken from Womenshealthmag click here to know more. 

Did you like Infographic in this article?

8. Dark chocolate – Source of Antioxidant

 

Dark chocolate contains two antioxidants namely flavonoids and antioxidants basically cleanse the body and help daily body functioning.

Higher the cocoa content of dark chocolate, higher is intake of these anti-oxidants .

What does these anti-oxidant do to our body?

It helps to free our body of free radicals. This caused damage to cells. It also culprit of the ageing process.

Chocolaty Point: Dark chocolate is full of anti-oxidants.

We are at half way, after knowing 8 benefits of dark chocolate can you tell your friend why is dark chocolate good for you?

9. Reduce Stress with dark chocolate

How dark chocolate effects in anxiety?

When a small amount of Dark chocolate is consumed every day, the stress hormone levels reduce significantly in our body. Due to this metabolic effects of stress become partially moderate.

So next time when you are stressed treat yourself with Dark chocolate instead of junk food.

10. Better cognitive function

Flavonol rich Dark chocolate increases the blood flow to our brain. Better the blood flows to our brain, better it functions.

Our attentiveness and learning ability increases. 

With this, we come to next set of dark chocolate health benefits.

11. Dark chocolate helps to improve eyesight

What will you do to improve your eyesight?

Dark chocolate can improve your eyesight too.

According to research published in the journal Physiology & Behavior. The researchers found that participants who consumed dark chocolate with 720 mg of cocoa flavanols experienced enhanced visual performance—like detecting motion and reading low contrast letters—likely due to the increased blood flow to the retina and brain.

This benefit is mentioned by Brittany-smith she is an author at Mensfitness.com 

Like and Share if you liked infographic – Benefits of dark chocolate.

12. Intelligence with dark chocolate

Have a working pressure?

Why don’t you just eat Dark chocolate? It will not only help you to reduce the body stress, also it’ll boost your brain power by an increase in blood circulation to your brain.

Improved circulation of blood to the brain helps the brain to function better and increases the learning ability of the brain.

13. Skin protection and Dark chocolate

High-level flavanol dark chocolate protects skin from Sun.

Remember not just any ordinary chocolate, you must consume high-level flavanol dark chocolate. When we go out in sun our skin comes in direct contact with the sun and we suffer from sunburn, tanning etc.

If we eat high-level flavanols dark chocolate, it fights against the harmful sun ray and reduces the reddening effect on the skin. It doesn’t mean you spend more time in the sun without any protection.

 

Chocolaty Point: High flavanol rich dark chocolate can protect your skin against the sun.

14. Eat dark chocolate, Boost Brain Power

As we have seen before, dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart.

Have you heard about phenylethylamine(PEA)? It is a chemical compound present in dark chocolate.

How will this PEA help to boost Brain power?

Our brain releases a chemical for each emotion. It releases the same chemical ( endorphins) when we are happy and when we are in Love. PEA encourages your brain to release endorphins ( the feel-good chemical) We feel more powerful when we are happy.

Dark chocolate contains stimulant substances like caffeine and theobromine which inherent from cocoa or cacao, which may be a prime reason to improve brain function.

15. Dark chocolate for weight loss

Chocolate can help you to lose weight. Really? Neuroscientist Will Clower says a small square of good choc melted on the tongue 20 minutes before a meal triggers the hormones in the brain that says “I’m full”, cutting the amount of food you subsequently consume. Finishing a meal with the same small trigger could reduce subsequent snacking.

If you’re wondering how you can add dark chocolate to your diet plan without putting on pounds, the good news is that it should be easier than you expect.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that dark chocolate is far more filling, offering more of a feeling of satiety than its lighter-colored sibling. That is, dark chocolate lessens cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods. So if indulging in a bit of healthy dark chocolate should not only make it easy for you to stick to the small portion recommended for optimal health, but it should make it easier for you to stick to your diet in general.  Womenshealthmag has mentioned this research.

If you found this article-health benefits of dark chocolate helpful then please like and share. If you know valuable benefits other than above-mentioned benefits then use the comment box to mention those benefits too.

Chocolate Benefits guide : 9 proven benefits of eating chocolate

Chocolate Benefits.

        Over the years chocolate has been overly criticized for the saddening effects it has on our health, but in reality, the picture is quite different. When we consider consuming chocolates, the very first thought that crosses our mind is its consequences that might lead to adverse issues like obesity, acne and zits, high blood pressure, coronary artery diseases, diabetics and of course adding up the calorie intakes. But folks the actual scenario is  quite contradictory.Chocolate by itself is a boon to many, it has a lot of benefits leading to a much healthier and fitter life for the people.

The various chocolate benefits are discussed below:

  1. Lower heart risk with Chocolate
  2. Chocolate makes you intelligent!!!
  3. Soothe a cough with Chocolate
  4. Treat diarrhoea with Chocolates
  5. The weight loss regimen
  6. Diabetes Control
  7. Sun protection with Chocolate
  8. A rich source of antioxidants: Chocolate
  9. Chocolate during pregnancy Continue reading “Chocolate Benefits guide : 9 proven benefits of eating chocolate”

History of Chocolate.

Sweet History of Chocolate

When you know the History of Chocolate you question Who Invented Chocolate? will be answered when you finished reading it.

This question will pop up if you love eating Chocolates. Answering this question, I need to take you through our ride in early around 1000BC where Olmec lived around the area (which is today’s Southeast Mexico). It started in Latin America, where Cacao trees grow. Probably Olmec were the first people who used the Chocolate. Sophie and Michael Coe had written in their book “The True History of Chocolate” that the earliest linguistic evidence of chocolate consumption stretches back three or even four millennia, to pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica such as the Olmec.

Our current word “Cacao” came from their word “kawaka”. Unfortunately, we even not knowing how the Olmec actually used chocolate as there is no recipe found from that era.

A thousand years later (about 250-900 AD) The Mayan, who inhabited the same general area did use chocolate and Sweet History of chocolate begins with Maya.

Chocolate was used in religious rituals by Maya. Chocolate was also used in Birth, marriage and Death ceremonies. The Mayas loved their Chocolate as a drink. But the Maya prepared chocolate strictly for drinking. Chocolate history doesn’t include solid chocolate until the 1850s. Except for that, the way the Maya prepared chocolate wasn’t too much different from the way it’s prepared today.

Aztecs kept the chocolate tradition alive after conquering Maya. From about 1200-1500, the Aztecs dominated the region and continued using cacao as currency.  Both The Aztec and Maya drank their chocolate in same way. Although Aztech sometimes liked it cold.

15th August 1502, Christopher Columbus and his son encountered the cacao bean on conquering mission to the Americas, when he and his crew seized a large native canoe that proved to contain among other goods for trade cacao beans. The natives greatly valued the beans, when any of these beans, they all didn’t pick it up, and as if “an eye had fallen from their heads” If this incident have been remembered then Columbus could have been known as first white guy who discovered Chocolate.

Solid Chocolate doesn’t include in Chocolate history until 1850s. In the 1850s, Englishman Joseph Fry changed the chocolate life by adding more cocoa butter, rather than hot water, to cocoa powder and sugar. The world’s first solid chocolate was born. In 1875, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestle added condensed milk to solid chocolate, creating a milk chocolate bar. In 1879, Swiss chap Rudolphe Lindt invented the conch, a machine that rotated and mixed chocolate to a perfectly smooth consistency

How was the first chocolate manufactured?

First, the beans were harvested, fermented, and dried. The beans were then roasted and the shells removed, and the rest was ground into a paste. The paste was mixed with hot water and spices, such as chili, vanilla, annatto, allspice, honey, and flowers. Then the mixture was frothed by pouring it back and forth between two containers. The Maya thought the froth was one of the best parts. Chocolate was also mixed with corn and water to make a sort of gruel. It was probably similar to the chocolate and corn drink pinnole, still enjoyed in Latin America today.

Chocolate flourishing in European market!

These beans were first brought to Europe by Columbus and some of them is presented to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.

Aztech King Montezuma welcomed the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez and greeted with cups of chocolatl arrived in Mexico in 1519. Aztech has mistaken him as renewed god instead of a conquering encroacher. This was the start of the Spanish overpowered them. Cortez, though, to realize the potential of these beans and he brought in the drink to the Spanish nobility.

They tried chocolate, hated it due to its bitter taste. One writer eloquently called it “more a drink for pigs than a drink for humanity.” Without sugar or Honey, cacao was fairly bitter. Soon after this its popularity spread across Europe and by the mid-17th century chocolate drinking houses had sprung up across England.

In 1828, Van Houten in the Netherlands found a way to make powdered chocolate by pressing removing about half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor, pulverizing what remained and treating the mixture with alkaline salts to cut the bitter taste. His product became known as “Dutch cocoa,” and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate.

Joseph Fry introduced further processing development in 1847 in Bristol of steam presses to separate the fat more easy. The creation of the first bar of plain chocolate is credited to him Joseph Fry.  Then after 30 years milk chocolate been developed by Daniel Peter in Vevey in Switzerland.

In 1868 Richard Cadbury decorated a box with a painting of his young daughter holding a kitten in her arms.

Cocoa beans was used as a Currency!

The cacao beans were used as currency. 10 beans would buy you a rabbit or a prostitute. 100 beans would buy you a slave. Some clever person even came up with a way to counterfeit beans – by carving them out of clay. The beans were still used as currency in parts of Latin America until the 19th century!

After Cortez and pals conquered the Aztecs, they kept right on using cacao as currency. By this time a rabbit cost 30 cacao beans. Must have been inflation. But chocolate history would soon change forever, because Cortez also kept right on conquering other people.

Chocolates used as a medicine!

For a while, the Spaniards kept the chocolate secret to themselves. And when chocolate first made it to Spain, it was considered a health food and a medicine. Doctors prescribed it for the following medicinal uses:

Medical Benefits of chocolate
Medical Benefits of chocolate

The church also approved it as a nutritional supplement to take while fasting.

Chocolate expansion in 20th Century!

However chocolate remained a luxury until the 20th century. Then many new varieties of chocolate bar were introduced in Britain. First came

Flake (1920),

Fruit and Nut (1921),

Milky Way (1923)

Crunchie (1929),

Snickers (1930),

Mars Bar (1932),

Whole Nut (1933),

Aero and Kit Kat (1935),

Maltesers (1936),

Smarties (1937),

Later came Bounty (1951),

Picnic (1958),

Galaxy (1960),

Topic (1962),

Toffee Crisp (1963),

Twix (1967) followed by

Yorkie, Double Decker and Lion Bar (1976)

and Wispa (1983).

Furthermore new boxes of chocolates were introduced in Britain. Milk Tray dates from 1915. Terry’s Chocolate Orange and All Gold were introduced in 1932. Black Magic came in 1933 and Dairy Box and Quality Street were first sold in 1936. Cadburys Roses dates from 1938 and After Eight was introduced in 1962. In the 20th century, chocolate was considered a staple, essential in the rations of United States soldiers at war. The word “chocolate” comes from the Classical Nahuatl word chocolātl, and entered the English language from Spanish.

With the advent of 21st Century!

The future of chocolate looks Bright!  Chocolate remains the fine pleasure that brings enjoyment people around the world. Enjoy!