It's all about Dark Chocolate....

Chocolate is a name given to products that are derived from cacao which are then mixed with some sort of fat (cacao butter, oil) and finely powdered sugar to produce a solid edible product. Woo~~i love chocolates. I remembered i was so disappointed when i found out my chocolates were gone last week. Recently, i also heard that dark chocolate is a healthy chocolate from a friend who loves it very much. So, i am here to share about DARK CHOCOLATE.

Chocolate is a popular ingredient and is available in many types. Different forms and flavors of chocolate are produced by varying the quantities of the different ingredients. Dark chocolate is adding fat and sugar to cacao. It is chocolate without milk. However, the lack of milk additives also means that dark chocolate is more prone to a bitter aftertaste. Dark chocolate is often distinguished by the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar. The cocoa content of commercial dark chocolate bars can range from 30% (sweet dark) to 70% or even above 80% for extremely dark bars. Common terms used for dark chocolate bars include bittersweet, semi-sweet, and sweet dark chocolate.

Flavonoids act as Antioxidants
There are news which state that eating 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate everyday is actually good for us. It is because chocolate is made from plants, which means that it contains many health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids which act as antioxidants. There are two different types of flavonoids called catechin and epicarechins. These are found to help with some symptoms of cancer.

Dark chocolate contains a large amount of antioxidants (nearly 8 times more than strawberries). Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Studies show that eating dark chocolate daily can lower the risk of heart attack. Plus it's also being attributed to insulin resistance. Besides, it helps to improve coronary circulation in healthy adults. Flavonoids keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.

Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide and balance certain hormones in the body. Generally, flavonoids function in protecting plants from microbes and insects. When we eat these antioxidants in food, they trigger the production of natural enzymes that protect us from disease just as they do for the plants that contain them.


Fats in chocolate
Most of the fats in chocolate do not impact the cholesterol in our body. The fats are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid.

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but it has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat which raise cholesterol and heart disease risk
  

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for us.

Oleic acid ....image on the right side is stearic acid/palmitic acid



A summary on benefits of dark chocolate:

• reduces risk of certain cancers.
• lowers blood pressure.
• improves insulin resistance
• reduces risk of stroke and heart attack.
• fight artherosclerosis.
• reduces risk of chronic respiratory systems especially cough.
• protects from UV light which cause skin cancer.
• decreases inflammation and pain associated with arthritis.
• the smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

On the other hand, we have to know that eating too much of anything is not good. Too much dark chocolate is not encouraged as it contains caffiein. But if it is taken moderately, you will see the health benefits. A dark chocolate a day keeps the doctor away!!

Pick a dark chocolate....^^





References:
1. http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/benefits-of-dark-chocolate.htm
2. http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Benefits-of-Dark-Chocolate---Facts-You-Need-to-Know-Before-Enjoying&id=986225
3. http://www.shockmd.com/2009/05/21/dark-chocolate-improves-coronary-blood-flow/
4. http://www.webmd.com/news/20040601/dark-chocolate-day-keeps-doctor-away