Nutrition:
Chocolate has been linked to:
- lower blood pressure
- less memory loss
- reduced heart disease
- diminished cholesterol
- reduced stroke risk
- improve insulin resistance
Is Chocolate Good For Me?....
A recent meta-analysis says yes! Eating chocolate benefits health. However, this benefit is impacted by processing, added sugar and energy density (or calories. Choose dark chocolate with a high level of flavanoids. The higher the cocoa content the more of these beneficial antioxidants are present. Chocolate with at least 70% cacao and lower amounts of sugar and fat is the best option. An added bonus is that it is easier to be satisfied with a smaller portion.
Reference: Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease (Katz et al ) in Antioxid Redox Signal. 2011 Nov 15; 15(10)