Attention Chocolate Lovers! Chocolate Is Good For You

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Analysis has shown that chocolate is, in fact, beneficial to your health. Naturally, this isn't just any old bar of chocolate off the supermarket shelf, but real dark chocolate, the stuff with an absolute minimum of 70% cocoa. The darker the better, as darker chocolate has less sugar.

Everyone knows that chocolate gives you an emotional boost. It gets your endorphin flow up, making you feel energetic, comfortable, happy, and giving an overall sense of well being. Some people are recorded as saying they would choose chocolate over sex! With its rich texture, deep colour and great taste, it is no surprise that chocolate is an aphrodisiac and a source of pleasure for all the senses. The caffeine and serotonin in chocolate are known sources of short-term energy and promoters of good humor.

Leaving aside pleasure, though, chocolate has properties that help your body stay in good shape. Contained in the complex chemical composition of chocolate are a number of substances your body requires to prevent disease and function correctly. Just like red wine, chocolate contains phenolics, which are known to help in the prevention of coronary heart disease - yes, chocolate is good for your heart.

A report in the British Medical Journal put some numbers to this, stating that the consumption of 100 grams of dark chocolate per day reduces the frequency of cardiovascular incidents by 21%, in addition to lowering blood pressure. Phenolics are also full of antioxidants, which are essential for neutralizing free radicals. Cocoa butter, the core component of chocolate, is already found in creams used to heal burns and scars. Large pharmaceutical firms are already considering conducting research with chocolate in the hopes of creating medicines to combat both osteoporosis and cancer.

Whilst it cannot be ignored that chocolate contains fats, these are unsaturated - saturated fats are the ones to watch out for - and thereby help to improve cholesterol. Chocolate is also a great source of magnesium, and if you choose a nutty variety then you also have an excellent source of phosphor and iron.

Another pair of fantastic reasons to choose chocolate are the fair trade movement and the organic varieties now available, not only in specialist shops but even in the supermarkets. There are countless upsides to these, enough to warrant an article of their own, but the one that come straight to mind are that these have none of the artificial pesticides and herbicides, harmful to both consumer and farmer alike, that are normally used to treat cocoa crops. Even better - buying fair trade chocolate means that the now-healthier farmers also gain fair payment for their efforts, allowing them access to improved conditions both for living and working in.

So there you have it - chocolate is good for you, but as with everything else it should be taken in moderation. Eating lots of chocolate will naturally result in more energy intake, but assuming this get used there is no problem with eating as much chocolate as you like.

Herb likes to write about food and chocolate. Please check out his website that contains sheer window panels information as well as pinch pleat drapes information.