What could be more American than a Hershey bar? Chocolate is one of those things that seems to have always been around. Yet, chocolate wasn't widely available in America until the 1900s, thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Since then, it has exploded in popularity. Manufacturers of chocolate in the '50s focused on heralding it as a fun snack food, and for years many people thought of it as nothing more. More recently, however, scientists have discovered that the cocoa bean is indeed useful and very beneficial. This means that the chocolate we have come to enjoy can now be thought of in a whole new light.
Chocolate Acts as an Antioxidant
The wonder of chocolate starts with its tiny flavanols. These little flavanols are a specific type of flavanoid. Many people may have heard flavonoids mentioned in the news, as they have become an interesting topic of late. Flavanoids are compounds found in plants that help the plant repair damage and actually protects it from environmental toxins. When people consume these same flavanoids, they have much the same effect in the human body as they do in the plants, thus acting as an antioxidant.
You see, the same oxygen that fuels the body has the potential to harm it. This is called oxidation. Also, harmful chemicals from the environment find their way into the human body. And, unfortunately, regardless of how hard one tries, unhealthy foods can sometimes make their way into people's diets. Antioxidants help to fight against these factors, which is why the benefits of antioxidants matter to everyone.
Science hasn't really come to a conclusion as to how much flavanol consumption one should aim for when seeking antioxidant protection. What is generally agreed upon though is that a square or so of dark chocolate (which is believed to contain the most flavanols) every few days is a good amount to consume. Milk chocolate is likely to be low in flavanols unless the packaging specifically says otherwise. And, Dutch chocolate undergoes a process to remove flavanols, so it is not a good choice for this purpose either.
Chocolate Promotes Heart Health
Chocolate has also been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. One way it does this is by lowering blood pressure. A professor at Yale University, Dr. David Katz, conducted a study on 45 adults, measuring their blood pressure before eating dark chocolate and then again two hours after. What he found was that blood pressure was lower in all participants after they had eaten the chocolate.
Not only has chocolate been shown to lower blood pressure, but it has been shown to actually increase blood flow in two ways. One way this is accomplished is by chocolate's ability to actually cause blood vessels to become dilated. Chocolate triggers nitric oxide production in the body, which in turn causes blood vessels to widen and relax. Another way chocolate helps blood to flow more smoothly is by discouraging platelets from sticking to one another. This lessens the chance of blood clots and plaque in the arteries. One study even concluded that consuming cocoa daily was almost as effective as taking a baby aspirin.
Chocolate Promotes a Feeling of Well Being
The nice feeling one gets from eating chocolate doesn't come from the taste alone. Research has revealed more to it than that. Chocolate actually works on the human brain in several different ways to enhance mood.
One way that chocolate lifts the mood is by causing the brain to release endorphins. Endorphins are feel good chemicals released by the brain during activities such as exercise. Chocolate also causes the brain to release serotonin, another natural feel good chemical. Healthy levels of serotonin are often associated with a sense of well being. There are several other mood enhancing chemicals in chocolate as well, including caffeine. A small amount of chocolate will lift your mood (about the amount of a few Hershey kisses).
Additional Chocolate Tidbits
Surprisingly, chocolate also lowers insulin resistance. When the body is more sensitive to insulin, it processes glucose more effectively. This finding is especially good news to people who have conditions such as diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
If one has blood sugar issues, but would still like to enjoy chocolate with some sweetness, honey may be a good sweetener option to try, as it has been shown to a favorable effect on blood sugar when used in moderation. A recipe that incorporates both cocoa and honey is chocolate avocado pudding .
To maximize the effects of chocolate, don't drink it with milk and opt for a variety that contains no milk ingredients. Researchers from the University of Glasgow and Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research found that study participants who had chocolate containing milk did not have the antioxidant benefits the participants using milk-free chocolate did. The researchers concluded that milk proteins probably bind with the antioxidants in chocolate, hindering their benefits.
Sources:
"Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled." Cleveland Clinic. Web. 06 May 2010.
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"CNN Food: Come On, Get Happy... with Chocolate's Help." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 07 May 2010.
Kearns, Brenda. "Improve Mood - Natural Mood Enhancers - Goodhousekeeping.com." Diet Plans - Healthy Recipes - Haircut Pictures - Cleaning Tips - - Goodhousekeeping.com. Web. 07 May 2010.
Stibich, Mark. "Chocolate - Health Benefits of Chocolate." Longevity, Anti-Aging and You - Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Anti Aging. Web. 07 May 2010.
Angel Chavis - Angel Chavis lives in NC with her husband, daughter, and various pets. She is a Christian, wife, homeschool mom, writer, student, and ...
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