5 Health Benefits Of Chocolate That You Should Know

There have been countless studies that have pointed out the fact that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is extremely healthy for you. This is due to the fact that it contains cacao in it that provides numerous benefits. Apart from this, chocolates are also known to have theobromine and flavonoids. Here are the top five health benefits that chocolate is known to provide:

Great For The Heart

Chocolate offers many cardiovascular benefits. A Swedish study found out that women who consumed one or two dark chocolate servings every week reduced their heart failure risk by a third. Another German study found out that consuming a square of dark chocolate every day could reduce stroke and heart attack risk and can help in lowering blood pressure. Most of the credit goes to flavonoids that help in increasing the artery and vein flexibility.

Helps In Weight Loss

Some of the researchers situated at the University of Copenhagen found out that dark chocolate tends to be extremely filling, even more so than the lighter colored chocolates. This means that dark chocolate can help in lessening salty, fatty food, and sweet cravings.

Prevents Diabetes

An Italian study was conducted in which it was established that the participants who indulged in dark chocolate, once every day, for a consecutive 15 days saw that they had more potential for a significant drop in their insulin resistance. The lead researcher in the study stated that flavonoids found in dark chocolate helped in increasing the production of nitric oxide. This aids in controlling sensitivity towards insulin.

Reduces Stress

Many people are known to consume more chocolate when they are stressed. And the good thing is that this might not be such a bad thing to do. The scientists in Switzerland found out that when extremely anxious people consumed an ounce and a half worth of dark chocolate each day for a period of two weeks, they reduced their stress hormone levels significantly. The metabolic effects related to stress had also been mitigated partially. Therefore, anyone suffering from a breakup should indulge in some dark chocolate as opposed to ice cream.

Offers Protection From The Sun

The researchers based in London had recently tested what flavonoids were capable of against the sun. After the study, subjects were made to eat chocolate for a period of three months consisting of high flavonoid levels. The skin of the participants took two times as long for it to redden due to a burn. However, the subjects who were consuming chocolate containing low amounts of flavonoid did not receive the same amount of sun protection. Therefore, you need to be on the lookout for brands that offer higher levels of healthy compounds.