As a delicious luxury for those of us who are
weight-conscious, it’s hard to believe that something as decadent and seemingly
sinful as chocolate can be beneficial to our health. Of course we’re going to
be skeptical. It’s the thing we cut out of our diet when we’re counting
calories, what we allow ourselves to have only on special occasions, what we
give up for lent (it’s over, eat up!). Luckily, we don’t always have to spare
ourselves the pleasure of consuming the creamy delectable treat. In fact,
chocolate can actually be beneficial to your health.
There are two caveats that you need to keep in mind with
this little tidbit of information: dark chocolate and moderation. For it to be
most effective, the chocolate needs to be at least 70% cacao and have as few
ingredients as possible. The Ghirardelli variety pictured fits this mold
perfectly. For those of you who aren’t huge fans of dark chocolate like myself,
try biting off small pieces and letting it melt in your mouth. This undercuts
the intensity and makes it very manageable. Make sure that you eat only one
square a day, which equates to about 11 grams and 60 calories.
So what about the health benefits? A number of studies have
shown that dark chocolate’s special antioxidant properties help protect the
cardiovascular system, including:
- Widening blood vessels
- Modest effect on lowering blood pressure
- Reduces platelet action- reduces blood clotting
While these revelations may seem like excellent news to your
cardiovascular health, remember not to get too carried away. Over-consumption
of both of these can decrease their beneficial effects and also cause weight
gain. Yet, in a way, you can have your cake and eat it too.
