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Health 101: Dark Chocolates

I'm a big fan of chocolates, except white chocolates coz it's just not..er..chocolatey enough :S but anyway, whether or not you like chocolates, you may want to include them in your diet.


Now I know you are thinking what kind of diet would that be?! Basically, the dark chocolates. They don't contain milk, contain more cocoa and are said to have health benefits. Plus they're yummeh!


I normally get the 70% to 75% of cocoa. I tried 85% of cocoa before but it's so bitter, I would rather bite into the fruit itself. Last week, I got two full sized packets at a freaking discount! 


Look at this..


 2 for the price of 1!! One bar costs $5.60.
Okay, so the health benefits.


Dark chocolates are a good source of antioxidant properties. Anti..what?! Basically dark chocolates contain a form of mood enhancing antioxidants called phytochemicals. They help to prevent heart disease. How?


Excerpt:

"The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But chocolate to the rescue! The polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol. And there’s more. One of the causes of atherosclerosis is blood platelets clumping together, a process called aggregation. The polyphenols in chocolate inhibit this clumping, reducing the risks of atherosclerosis.

High blood pressure is a well known risk factor for heart disease. It is also one of the most common causes of kidney failure, and a significant contributor to many kinds of dementia and cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate daily can reduce blood pressure in people with mild hypertension."
source: a sweet life



In layman's term, it simply means dark chocolates  restricts the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (basically, the bad cholesterol that you consume) which is good as once the waxy substance of this bad cholesterol oxidizes, it will stick to your artery walls. So once your artery walls get all sticky and your arteries get clogged up, your heart has to work extra hard to pump the blood and oxygen towards the different parts of your body. As a result, we can get chest pain, difficulty in breathing and even a heart attack, which may kill us instantly, within minutes. No kidding.


But how much of that dark chocolates to consume? Actually, just a small quantity. Two small squares are all you need in a day.


So what is all this talk that chocolates are not good for you? Chocolates are actually good, like I mentioned earlier, the higher the cocoa content, the better. It means that there is less fat and sugar in it. But of course, eat everything in moderation or it will be an overkill. Our body requires various nutrients to keep it in tip top condition.


But that is my suggestion of a yummy treat, especially during those hunger pangs moment, like two or three hours after lunch but not quite dinner yet. So pick up your bar of dark chocies now!



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