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Chocolate For Health?

Who Knew Chocolate Did THIS?

Savor that chocolate. It's not only delectable, but also can help control diabetes and high blood pressure.

There's just one catch

It must be dark chocolate--not white. A team of researchers from the University of L'Aquila in Italy has found in a small study of 15 people that eating 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily for 15 days lowered blood pressure and improved the body's ability to metabolize sugar from food, report Reuters Health and the BBC News. That's better than a prescription medication any day! However, eating the same amount of white chocolate for the same period had no effect on either blood pressure or insulin sensitivity
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Health Chocolate

Dear me, I got all excited too. I love milk chocolate and would eat it everyday if I had no self control. But I absolutely hate dark chocolate. Any one remember Hersheys Special Dark? No one likes that stuff! But I have high blood pressure, so I may try and start eating a little a day just to see if it lowers my blood pressure.

Chocolate For Health? Health & Special Psychology

I know that chocolate is filled with antioxidants.

I love some kinds of dark chocolate. I agree that Hershey's Special Dark isn't the greatest around, but there are some good alternatives.

Dove makes great dark chocolate Promises.
Lindt makes incredible dark chocolate truffles.
If you can find German or Swiss chocolate where you live, try Ritter Sport. Try to find real English Cadbury's dark chocolate. Don't even bother with the US or Canadian made Cadbury's. It is nowhere near as good.

Hmm. My wife got me some Dove dark chocolate eggs for Easter. Time to find that little package of them I brought to work...

Health Chocolate

Yes, the article describes the antioxidants as flavanoids, which help maintain good circulation and reduce blood clotting. This is very interesting to know, because, I too, am not a fan of dark chocolate. I'll have to let the wife know about this one; she is a huge fan of dark chocolate. How much would 3.5 ounces be?

Health Chocolate

Well, whatever is in the dark chocolate is probably available in other more healthy sources as well. It is nice to say "I am only eating this chocolate for my health," but the weight I would likely gain by eating it every day would be bad for me as well.

Chocolate For Health?

Dark chocolate is much lower in fat than either milk chocolate or white chocolate. It is also much lower in sugar. If you were to eat about 3 to 4 ounces of dark chocolate, you would be getting less sodium and less fat than about 1 ounce of cheese.

So, unless you are eating an almost perfect diet, a few ounces of dark chocolate isn't going to hurt you.

Besides, chocolate is more fun than other forms of antioxidants.

Chocolate Health

100 grams is approximately 3.53 ounces. 531 calories is about 1/3 of the calories I can eat in a day without gaining weight, so it may not be much for you, but for me, I had better find another source of these flavanoids.

The original article even points out the 500 calorie issue:

Edited: funbikerchick on 30th Mar, 2005 - 9:13pm

Chocolate Health Psychology Special & Health

RESEARCH PROMISING FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS

It's not exactly a guilt-free pleasure, but food researchers say cocoa beans could be good for you.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/diet.fitnes...h.ap/index.html