Top 10 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Health Benefits Facts and Research

Top 10 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Health Benefits Facts and Research

Chocolate is one guilty pleasure that merits indulgence, given you are indulging in the right kind of chocolate. Enter dark chocolate! Also known as “black chocolate,” this particular variety is made from roasted cocoa beans of the cacao tree, fat, and sugar.
Unlike regular chocolate, dark chocolate has little to no milk and is also less sweet. In fact, the best quality dark chocolate-with cocoa percentages ranging from 70 percent to 99 percent-has a characteristic bittersweet taste.

Here are 10 health benefits of dark chocolate.

1. Relieves Stress
To relieve stress or lift a low mood, you can always rely on dark chocolate. It helps to increase the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as a natural antidepressant.
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.

2. Lowers Cholesterol Level
The cocoa in dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the level of LDL, or low-density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol), 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.

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.

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.

5. Boosts Brain Power
Dark chocolate also works as a brain fodder for enhanced cognitive functioning. According to a study done at the University of Nottingham, consuming dark chocolate can boost blood flow to the brain for up to three hours. This, in turn, improves short-term memory and general alertness level for short periods.

6. Aids Weight Loss
One ounce of dark chocolate with between 70 percent and 85 percent cocoa, three times a week can help you lose extra body weight. One possible reason is the high fiber content, which helps keep you feeling full for a longer time period.
According to a study published in Nutrition and Diabetes, eating dark chocolate in moderation gives you a more filling effect and lessens your cravings for fatty, sweet, and salty foods.

7. Keeps Skin Healthy
Moderate amounts of dark chocolate in your diet can also help keep your skin healthy, glowing, and flawless. The several antioxidants in dark chocolate protect the skin from free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to the skin cells and speed up skin aging.
Moreover, the flavonoids in dark chocolate safeguard your skin against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, one of the main causes of conditions like sunburn and skin cancer.

8. Heals Persistent Coughing
If you are coughing a lot and want an easy solution, try dark chocolate. It contains a chemical known as theobromine that helps curb coughing by relaxing the nerve that triggers coughs in the first place.
Researchers from the British National Health Service administered two doses of theobromine daily for two weeks to 300 patients hospitalized for a chronic cough. They found that 60 percent of the people taking this compound got relief from their coughing condition.

9. Treats Diarrhea
Scientists at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute have confirmed that dark chocolate can ease diarrhea symptoms.
Cocoa beans contain a large number of chemicals called flavonoids that bind to and inhibit the protein in the intestines called CFTR, which regulates fluid secretion in the small intestine. This results in quick relief from diarrhea symptoms.

10. Controls Blood Sugar
The cocoa in dark chocolate may also help prevent diabetes.
An Italian study done in 2005 found that regular consumption of dark chocolate increases insulin sensitivity, which means the body becomes more responsive to the insulin signal that allows glucose to go into the cell and not stay around in the blood.