Made of cocoa seeds, dark chocolate is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Studies show that dark chocolate can improve your health and reduce the risk of heart disease. This article discusses 7 advantages of dark chocolate or health cocoa, confirmed by science:
Very nutritious
If you buy high-quality dark chocolate with high cocoa content, then it is actually quite nutritious. It contains a decent amount of fiber soluble and rich in minerals. 100-gram tile of dark chocolate with cocoa 70-85% comprises:
11 grams of fiber
67% of the RSNP Iron
58% of RSNP magnesium
89% of the RSNP copper
98% of the RSNP manganese
It also has a lot of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. Of course, 100 grams are quite a large number, and you should not use it daily. All these nutrients also contain 600 calories and a moderate amount of sugar. For this reason, dark chocolate is best to use in moderate quantities.
Cocoa and dark chocolate fatty acid profile is also excellent. Fats are mainly rich and monoinsaturated, with a small amount of polyunsaturated fats. It also contains stimulants, such as caffeine and theobromin, but hardly make you awake at night, because the amount of caffeine is very small compared to coffee.
Cocoa and dark chocolate have greater antioxidant activity, polyphenols and flavanolas than any other tested fruits
Photo: unsplash.com.
Powerful source of antioxidants
ORAC, inherent in cocoa, means "the ability to absorb oxygen radicals". This is an indicator of antioxidant activity of products. In fact, the researchers establish a set of free radicals (bad) in a sample of food and look at how well antioxidants in food can "neutralize" radicals. The biological significance of ORAC values is questioned because they are measured in a test tube and may not have the same effect in the body. It is worth mentioning that raw raw cocoa beans treat the number of products with the highest indicators that have been tested. Dark chocolate is rich in organic compounds, which are biologically active and act as antioxidants. To them, among other things, Polyphenols include Flanologues and Catechins. One study showed that cocoa and dark chocolate have greater antioxidant activity, polyphenols and flavanolas than any other tested fruits, including blueberries and ASAI berries.
Improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure
Flanges in dark chocolate can stimulate endothelium, mucous arterial shell, produce nitrogen oxide (NO). One of the functions NO is to be sent to the artery signals of relaxation, which reduces the resistance to blood flow and, therefore, reduces blood pressure. Many monitored studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate can improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure, although the effects are usually insignificant. However, one study on high blood pressure people did not show any effect, so believing to all this with skepticism.
Increases the level of HDL and protects LDL from oxidation
Consumption of dark chocolate can reduce several important risk factors for heart disease. In a controlled study, it was discovered that cocoa powder significantly reduces the level of oxidized cholesterol LDL in men. He also raised the level of HDL and reduced the overall level of LDL in people with a high level of cholesterol. Oxidized LDL means that LDL ("bad" cholesterol) has joined the reaction with free radicals. This makes a particle of LDL reactive and capable of damaging other fabrics. It is clear that cocoa reduces the level of oxidized LDL. It contains a plurality of powerful antioxidants, which fall into the bloodstream and protect lipoproteins from oxidative damage. Dark chocolate can also reduce insulin resistance, which is another common risk factor of many diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Reduce the risk of heart disease
The chemical composition of dark chocolate, apparently, has a high protection against the oxidation of LDL. In the long run, this should lead to the fact that the arteries will remain much less cholesterol, which will lead to a decrease in the risk of heart disease. In fact, several long-term observational studies show a rather sharp improvement. In the study of 470, older men were found that cocoa reduces the risk of death from heart disease to a colossal 50% per 15-year period. Another study showed that chocolate consumption two or more times a week reduces the risk of calcined plaques in arteries by 32%. Less frequent chocolate use has no effect. Another study showed that the use of black chocolate for more than 5 times a week reduces the risk of heart disease by 57%. Of course, these three studies are observant, so it is impossible to prove that it is chocolate that reduced the risk. However, since the biological process is known (reduced blood pressure and oxidized LDL), it is likely that the regular use of dark chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Protect your skin from the sun
Dark chocolate bioactive connections can also be useful for your skin. Flavonoids can protect against sunlight, improve blood flow to the skin and increase the density and humidification of the skin. The minimum erythene dose (MED) is the minimum amount of UV-in-rays needed to cause skin redness 24 hours after exposure. In one study with the participation of 30 people, MED more than doubled after the consumption of dark chocolate with a high content of flavonoids for 12 weeks. If you are planning a vacation on the beach, think that there are dark chocolate in previous weeks and months.
The use of cocoa with a high content of flavonoids for five days improves blood inflow to the brain
Photo: unsplash.com.
Improve the work of the brain
Good news has not yet ended. Dark chocolate can also improve your brain. One study of healthy volunteers showed that the use of cocoa with a high content of flavonoids is improving blood flow to the brain for five days. Cocoa also can significantly improve cognitive functions in older people with mental disorders. This can improve speech fluency and improve several risk factors. In addition, cocoa contains stimulating substances such as caffeine and theobromin, which can be a key reason that it can improve the brain function in the short term.