Dark chocolate, also known as ‘black chocolate’, is made from the roasted cocoa beans of the cacao tree, fat and sugar. Unlike milk chocolate, dark chocolate has no milk or much less. It is also less sweet in taste. In fact, the best quality dark chocolate—withcocoa percentages ranging from 70 to 99 percent—has a bitter sweet taste.
As dark chocolate feels decadent and tastes great, many people love it. You can enjoy it as a piece of candy or add it to smoothies or homemade cakes and muffins. Dark chocolate can be a healthy treat, as long as you choose wisely and eat it in moderation.
Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Other healthy nutrients in dark chocolate are soluble fiber, potassium, manganese, zinc, selenium, copper, magnesium and iron.
1. Relieves Stress
To relieve stress or lift a low mood, you can always rely on dark chocolate. It helps increase the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin that acts as a natural antidepressants.
Research done by scientists from the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland and published online in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Proteome Research confirmed that the chemical compounds in dark chocolate play a key role in improving the disposition of people who experience higher levels of stress.
They found that eating about 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate daily for two weeks can reduce levels of stress hormones in people feeling highly stressed.
Plus, dark chocolate has magnesium that helps fight stress, fatigue, depression and irritability. When eating chocolate to fight stress, make sure it has more than 85 percent cocoa.
2. Lowers Cholesterol Level
The cocoa in dark chocolate has been shown to reduce LDL or low-density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol)level in the blood that can clog the veins and inner walls of the arteries and inhibit proper functioning.
The powerful antioxidants in dark chocolate also prevent the oxidization of LDL, in turn reducing the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
Evidence from clinical studies also shows that cocoa may increase the HDL or high-density lipoprotein (the good cholesterol) level. It is unclear whether this is due to the presence of flavonoids or theobromine in cocoa.
3. Reduces Blood Pressure
Dark chocolate can also reduce high blood pressure. Flavanol, a flavonoid present in cocoa, helps lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to your heart.
The flavanol in dark chocolate stimulates the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide sends signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers resistance to blood flow and thus reduces blood pressure.
With lower blood pressure, there is also less chance of suffering from many types of heart diseases like heart failure, atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis. It can even reduce the risk of cognitive decline, dementia and stroke.
Simply eat a small piece of dark chocolate daily to lower your blood pressure. Be sure to choose dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa.
4. Prevents Stroke
Eating dark chocolate in moderation regularly can even lower the chance of stroke in later life. This is due to its high level of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Flavonoids can reduce blood stickiness and prevent blood clotting, which in turn helps stave off heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute studied more than 37,000 men between the ages of 45 and 79 for about 10 years. They found that those who ate about 2.2 ounces per week had a 17 percent lower risk of having a stroke during that time period compared to those who ate little or no chocolate.
To improve blood flow in the brain and cut the risk of stroke, eat a single bar of dark chocolate once a week.
5. Boosts Brain Power
Dark chocolate also improves brain function. According to a study done at University of Nottingham, consuming dark chocolate can boost blood flow in the brain for up to three hours. This, in turn, improves short-term memory and general alertness levels for short periods.
Plus, the high amount of flavanol found in dark chocolate also improves brain function for people fighting sleep deprivation, and even slow the effects of aging by increasing circulation.
Plus, the cocoa in dark chocolate improves concentration, response time and memory recall.
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