Contents:
- Medical Video: Health benefits of Chocolate
- A myriad of benefits of dark chocolate for body health
- 1. High in antioxidants
- 2. Lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease
- 3. Prevent diabetes
- 4. Lower cholesterol
- 5. Protect the skin from radiation from the sun
- 6. Sharpen brain function
- 7. Longer comfort
Medical Video: Health benefits of Chocolate
There are various types of chocolate that you can find on the market, ranging from milk chocolate (milk chocolate), white chocolate (white chocolate), to dark chocolate (dark chocolate).Well, did you know that the three types of chocolate turned out that dark chocolate has the most benefits for body health? From the skin to the veins you can get the benefits. Here are the various dark chocolate benefits that you can get.
A myriad of benefits of dark chocolate for body health
1. High in antioxidants
Black chocolate contains high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins that function to ward off free radicals that cause disease and premature aging.
Your body can be exposed to free radicals from the surrounding environment, such as sunlight radiation, ozone radiation, cigarette smoke, vehicle smoke, air pollution, industrial chemicals, and food and beverages that you consume every day. Free radicals can cause DNA mutations that trigger various diseases. Ranging from arthritis, heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, hypertension, stomach ulcers, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, to cancer.
A study shows that the antioxidant content in dark chocolate is higher than fruitblueberries and acai berries.
2. Lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease
The main benefits of dark chocolate are actually derived from the flavanol content. In the body, flavonol activates genes in cells to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide functions to dilate blood vessels, so that blood flow becomes smoother and eventually blood pressure decreases.
A study published in the journal Jama Network found that consuming one stalk of bitter dark chocolate for 18 consecutive weeks could reduce blood pressure by 18% in people who have hypertension.
Blood pressure drops due to eating dark chocolate while helping protect you from the risk of strokes and other heart diseases. In a study published in the journal Heart, it was found that eating dark chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease by 11 percent and reduce the risk of stroke by 23 percent.
Long-term research in Jama Internal Medicine involving 470 elderly men showed that regular consumption of dark chocolate drinks can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 50 percent.
3. Prevent diabetes
Increased levels of nitric dioxide in the body as a benefit of dark chocolate can also help improve insulin sensitivity response. Insulin sensitivity is the thing most needed by the body to keep blood sugar levels stable and avoid diabetes.
4. Lower cholesterol
Long-term and regular consumption of dark chocolate can reduce bad cholesterol by 20 percent,so that the risks associated with cardiovascular disease also decrease
5. Protect the skin from radiation from the sun
Flavonol in dark chocolate can help prevent skin damage due to exposure to sunlight by promoting blood flow to the skin and increasing skin elasticity and moisture.
Research in the Journal of Cosmetic of Dermatology shows benefits dark chocolate can counteract the adverse effects of UVB radiation that can causepremature aging of the skin, damage to the eyes (including cataracts), and skin cancer.
6. Sharpen brain function
Other benefits of dark chocolate are improving brain cognitive functions, including sharpening memory and the ability to think logically. This is all thanks to the high content of flavonoids.
In a study in 2012, showed that dark chocolate can improve cognitive function in older people who have decreased cognitive function.
Other studies also show that consumption of high levels of dark chocolate flavanols can help increase blood flow to the brain more smoothly.
7. Longer comfort
Research from the University of Copenhagen found that eating dark chocolate makes the stomach full longer and prevents cravings from sweet, salty, and fatty foods. So, for people who are losing weight, dark chocolat can be a good snack choice.
