Eat More Chocolate! Many Good Reasons Why Eating More Chocolate Is Proper.
Check what kind of chocolate confection suits your taste, from cookies to cake, from pralines to bars of chocolate, to chocolate ice cream.
From Cold, Spicy Elixir to Hot & Sweet Delicacy
Cacao-brewed chocolate drank by the ancient Mayans were originally a spiced, cold drink, an herbal remedy. Then Spanish explorers brought back the cacao concoction from Mexico to Europe in the 16th century and started the tradition of drinking sweetened hot cups just like coffee as a refreshment. In the 16th to 19th centuries, hot chocolate was prized in society as a special drink, and sometimes imbibed as a medical elixir just like the Mayans.
Good ole hot choco is great to start the day instead of coffee.
Drinkable chocolate for years was a remedy for ailments and maladies. When chocolate made its way to France in the 17th century, it was used "to fight to cure fits of anger and bad moods.” Modern research has discovered that chocolate reduced the levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly agitated.
You can make a hot cup of choco by grinding dark chocolate tablea in a Batirol and mix with hot water for a freshly made hot chocolate drink instead of the instant mixes that are full of preservatives.
Super foods are any natural source of antioxidants like blueberries, watermelon and pomegranate which have become some of health and wellness' favorite super-foods. Cornell University research has shown that the antioxidant concentration in hot cocoa is almost twice as strong as red wine.
Cocoa's concentration was two to three times stronger than that of green tea and four to five times stronger than that of black tea. So drink more hot chocolate! Professor Chang Yong Lee, from Cornell study, reiterated that the "hot" in "hot chocolate" was essential because studies showed that more antioxidants are released when you consume your cocoa as a warmed beverage.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, drinking hot chocolate can help you think better too.
The flavonoids increase the blood flow and oxygen to the brain , as well as the heart to keep you in good shape. Since dementia is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the brain, researchers think it could be treated with cocoa. Eating small portions of dark chocolate a day for two
weeks can reduce levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people
feeling highly stressed.
Chocolate Myths
Studies have shown that chocolate does not raise bad cholesterol, and in fact for some people chocolate can lower cholesterol levels. Darker varieties of chocolate have higher caffeine content but chocolate only contains a tenth of caffeine contained in a typical Starbucks cup of coffee. Not that high to make you a jitterbug.
Dark chocolate has a low glycemic index and may actually improve insulin sensitivity in people with normal and high blood pressure. If you were to enjoy more of chocolate, avoid the sweetened varieties or consume these in moderation.
Chocolate cake is always a sinful treat if you eat the whole cake. Share a slice or two if you can!
Chocolate does not cause tooth decay and cavities . In fact, a study from Osaka University in Japan reveal that cacao bean ingredients of chocolate reduce mouth bacteria and tooth decay. Fighting cavities never tasted so good. If ever, it is the high sugar content of your chocolate candy that will produce acids that eat enamel of your teeth.
Chocolate makes you gain weight if you eat a ton of it like tomorrow was the end of chocolate forever. The U.S. National Institute of Health say that consuming a small amount of chocolate may even lower your body mass index, even if you eat a lot and don't exercise. Imagine that!
Better than sex, according to Alicia Silverstone, and a box of pralines like these Belgian chocolates will provide more moments of yummy than any momentary tryst.
Just how GOOD is chocolate for you? It has bona fide superfood status!
A typical dark chocolate bar contains as much antioxidant capacity as 2 3/4 cups of green tea, 1 glass of red wine, or 2/3 cup of blueberries. In addition, chocolate also contains minerals and dietary fiber.
The next time some health guru tells you to lay off the sweets, you can ignore him and Eat more DARK chocolate! But when you do consume ANY sweetened chocolate, or milk chocolate bars, eat them in moderation.
A 3-ounce bar of milk chocolate is packed with 420 calories and 26 grams of fat, mostly the sugar being the culprit. Still, what's wrong with some good chocolate making you as huggable as Alicia Silverstone (Batgirl at one time, and she put on weight from chocolates, her suit almost didn't fit )?
