Chocolate is a Superfood – Here is Why! 07.04.2016

Chocolate is the ultimate comfort food, the delicious stress buster and the yummiest mood enhancer known to man. But then we have been trained over the years to resist chocolate. It is after all not healthy right? Wrong!

Turns out, medical research has established that chocolate is actually good for us. It seems dark chocolate is good for the heart, circulation, the brain, and is the cure for a host of health challenges including obesity. In fact, it has been given the status of “super food” thanks to its high antioxidant content. The antioxidant activity of (dark) chocolate is equivalent to or higher than that of fruits and berries like blueberry, cranberry and pomegranate.

The secret behind these super powers is the ingredient cocoa which is packed with healthy chemicals like flavonoids and theobromine and is also the source of the distinct taste.

Below are some sweet reasons you should keep adding chocolates to your grocery list, all of them backed by medical science. The rule of thumb of course is that the darker the chocolate, the better.

A slab of chocolate can actually make you slim

A slab of dark chocolate increases your metabolism, burning more calories through the day. It turns out that adults who eat chocolate frequently have a lower body mass index than those who don’t. Turns out that it’s the composition of calories and not just their count that ultimately impact weight. And in the case of dark chocolate, the calories seem to be aligned just perfectly.

Chocolate makes you clever

Flavanols a key chemical in cocoa improves your memory and also treats brain damages. All thanks to its antioxidant properties. Another study observed that the highest number of Nobel laureates per capita were in Switzerland, which records the highest consumption of chocolate. Could the secret to their intelligence be the chocolate they eat?

Chocolate gives you better skin

It is believed that the compounds in chocolate act as UV filters, thereby reducing skin reddening and other skin troubles in as little as 6 weeks. Eating chocolate regularly also reduces blemishes, nourishes the skin and makes it tighter. Then there are the antioxidants in raw chocolate to consider. Antioxidants lead to younger looking skin and reverse the effects of pollution, sun exposure, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. So whether you opt for a chocolate facial or eat up an entire bar, your skin will thank you for it.

Chocolate makes you feel better

There is a reason that chocolate is considered one of the most romantic gifts. As it happens, chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylamine which is a mood-booster, inducing a feeling similar to how people feel when they are in love. A happy partner makes a happy couple, doesn’t it? Furthermore, women who eat at least one cube of chocolate a day have higher libidos. All in all, one thing is for sure chocolate makes you happy and keeps you feeling great.

Chocolate reduces cholesterol

Chocolate can reduce the level of LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases the level of HDL (good cholesterol) making your heart healthy and happy. Moreover, two chocolate bars a day could also reduce the risk of a stroke.

Chocolate reduces stress

Eating dark chocolate everyday can reduce stress. Eating chocolates every day for 14 days will lower the stress hormones in your body, making you a relatively calmer person in the long run.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite bar of chocolate and relish it. For health reasons of course!