Top 10 Health Benefits Of Chocolate

Don’t you just love chocolates? Well, who doesn’t? They are the best comfort foods that nature could ever have given us. But don’t think they are just full of high-calories that will make you put on weight. Yes, if you eat it in excess then that is possible. But keep the count of how much you eat and there will be no problem. Now you need to stop feeling guilty about that bar of chocolate you ate last night because we are going to tell you about the health benefits of chocolates.

1. Prevents heart diseases

A bar of chocolate can help you to prevent heart diseases as it contains some chemicals that keeps your cardiovascular system running smoothly. Dark chocolate can especially reduce the risk of a heart attack by almost 50% and that of coronary diseases by 10%. So it’s okay to eat a bar or a piece of chocolate everyday!

2. Lowers blood pressure

Chocolates, just like some dark vegetables, come from plants and thus both of these have similar properties and benefits. Chocolates contain flavonoids which are antioxidants. These antioxidants help to lower your blood pressure by producing nitric oxide. This also balances the hormones in your body.

3. Lowers cholesterol

Eating chocolates will also reduce your cholesterol. It helps in reducing LDL, that is the bad cholesterol in your body. So if you are fighting the excessive cholesterol in your body, you know what you need to eat. Moreover, it also helps in increasing the ‘good’ cholesterol in your body.

4. Serves as an anti-depressant

Are you feeling sad or totally down in the dumps? Don’t worry, because your ultimate friend – chocolate is here! Yes, chocolates can also enhance your mood. This is because chocolates contain serotonin which is a natural anti-depressant.

5. Has a low fat option

Cocoa powder which is the main ingredient in chocolates is low fat. So if you love chocolates but don’t want to put on weight, then have chocolates and more chocolates! In this way, you can have many chocolates and not even gain weight. But everything needs to be done in a limit and you should not have them in excess. Also, make sure that the chocolates you consume have more than 60% of cocoa in them.

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Photo Courtesy : Kirti Poddar
TAGS: aging, blood circulation, blood pressure, More