As we near Valentine's Day and the consumption of copious amounts of chocolate, we can do so without as much guilt as in years past. It turns out that chocolate (especially dark chocolate) may truly be good for you and, in moderate amounts, may be included in your balanced diet every day! The benefits of chocolate may include:
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease: Harvard Medical School conducted a landmark study on unprocessed cocoa and found that it reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Their study concluded that cocoa, which retains its levels of flavonols (often lost during processing) can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Reduced risk of heart attack: Scientists at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine suggest that a few squares of chocolate a day can reduce the risk of a heart attack by almost 50% in some cases. They believe that it does this by operating in much the same way as aspirin- by reducing platelet clumping and therefore the chance of a clot forming.
- Reduced levels of LDL cholesterol: A paper published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that the new Mars bar, CocoaVia®:, was able to reduce 'bad' LDL cholesterol in the blood due to the chocolate bar's 1.5g of plant sterol content.
- Reduced risk of cancer: Research indicates that the polyphenol and flavonol content in chocolate may halt the development of cancer.
So, now you can feel good about reaching for that dark chocolate bar, knowing that it may be contributing to your overall good health!
For more information about the benefits of chocolate visit the Health Articles section of our website.
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