Should you be anything like me, you love, love, love dark chocolate, and I mean I really enjoy that bitter taste to my tongue that savors on every cell of my taste buds - spectacularly delicious! It's like fireworks happening within my cells as it touches down to my digestive enzymes within. It's a rapid liberator of my mood and improved pleasure, in that it's a real picker upper for sure - percolates my mind instantly. And why is that you may be asking? Well, the first of the many benefits of dark chocolate and that contributes to raising one's mood on a natural elated type of healthy high is the fact that it boosts serotonin and endorphins in the brain. In addition, it contains several minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Moving right along - other health benefits of dark chocolate are as follow:
- Contains strong antioxidant properties because of its flavanoids, which are phytochemicals also found in red wine, tea (triple that of green tea), and some fruits and veggies. To note, cacao nibs, organic cocoa powder, and high-percentage organic dark chocolate have the most flavanoids.
- It consists of stearic and oleic acids, and because of those acids, cocoa *doesn't* raise blood cholesterol levels and may even reduce them.
- Cocoa polyphenols are also known to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of blood clots, and increase blood flow in the arteries and the heart.
- Reduces insulin resistance.
- Chocolate that consists of at least 60% raw cacao has a good source of dietary fiber
As important, one study has shown that when chocolate is combined with milk, as in milk chocolate; chocolate milk; and chocolate ice cream, the milk binds to chocolate's antioxidants, making them **unavailable** for your body. Therefore, it's totally void of its super food benefits. So, whenever it's possible, avoid buying milk chocolate - it is seriously deficient of any nutritional value or at all. Thus, it's best to purchase dark chocolate that is sixty percent or higher in cacao content, as it contains more nutritional benefits, less sugar, and a deeper flavor.
Another great tip for when you're out shopping for chocolate is to look for a glossy or dark-brown chocolate. Be sure to stay away from chocolate that has white spots, small holes on the surface, or an overall grayish tone. As with identifying any other healthy foods, you want to also look for chocolate with a short ingredient list. Look for terms like, "organic cocoa powder", "organic cocoa butter", "organic cocoa", and/or "organic raw cacao powder" to indicate that it's high quality chocolate.
Dark chocolate is also considered a "Food of the Gods" and rightly so too, considering its superfood powers when in its raw state via cacao nibs - broken pieces of cacao seeds.
For maintaining a humanistic and fair-trade approach and purchase, more often than not, it would be most thoughtful that you buy organic and fair-trade chocolate. With that, you're ensuring that you're buying the healthy kind, as non-organically produced cocoa may contain residues of lead and other potential toxins. Additionally, the fair-trade label indicates that the farmers and workers who created the product were fairly compensated. So, it's important to support brands that have that fair-trade seal or label on it. The point we're making with that and want to exemplify is to be fair with our dealings with everyone on all levels. Ultimately, the goal should always be to treat others as we ourselves would want to be treated, with fairness, love, and respect.
Well, guys, it's been fun and another fantastic fast fact Friday of some fast info that may be beneficial to you and/or someone that you may know. Therefore, please be kind and compassionate and pass it on to your friends and/or loved ones. Don't forget to also like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment for this post below. It'll be my absolute joy to give you a reply.
Love you all and be sure to take great care of yourselves until next time. Chow! :-)
Source:
Experience Life Magazine, Be A Rebel - March 2014
