How can you not love chocolate? Moreover, experts say that by regularly consuming it, you can extend your life. Could this be true?
Let's take a closer look at this topic and figure out which chocolate is better and what to look for when choosing a good product.
Bitter, dark, white, milky – all these varieties, despite the common name "chocolate", have completely different properties.
Which chocolate is healthier?
- White chocolate. It does not contain cocoa liquor, a light shade is achieved by cocoa butter (fat squeezed from cocoa liquor), milk powder, sugar and vanillin. It doesn't do any good to your body.
- Milk chocolate. Along with cocoa, it contains milk powder and a large amount of sugar. Most often it contains additives. Milk chocolate cannot be attributed to useful types of chocolate.
- Dark chocolate. Its content of grated cocoa is 40-55% and its taste is softer. It can be beneficial in moderate doses.
- Bitter chocolate. This variant contains over 55% cocoa beans and the least amount of sugar. It has a bitter taste with slight sourness. It is the healthiest type of chocolate.
If we talk about the benefits of chocolate, then, firstly, white and milk chocolate should be excluded from the above list. Secondly, the ingredients that make chocolate a healthy food should be mentioned. So, a high-quality chocolate without additives contains:
- phenylethylamine – a hormone that saturates the brain with serotonin and helps nerve cells work;
- theobromine and magnesium – relax nerve endings, relieve stress, improve emotional and mental state;
- plant flavonoids – stimulate blood flow, nourish the brain, saturate neurons with oxygen;
- antioxidants – remove free radicals, prevent the destruction of neurons and slow down the aging process.
With such a composition, of course, we can say that chocolate can prolong our lives. At the same time, this statement is so relative, because the human body is a very complex system, and its proper functioning does not depend on only one product.
What is certain is that chocolate stimulates neural activity in areas of the brain associated with pleasure, and thus reduces stress and improves mood. It activates brain cells, dilates blood vessels, and participates in the supply of oxygen to the brain. It is also useful in brain disorders caused by lack of sleep and overwork. Chocolate also increases concentration and helps to cheer you up.
Several studies show that chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as improve the functioning of the digestive tract. Dark chocolate helps control blood sugar. It can protect against type 2 diabetes.
Thanks to its antiseptic properties, chocolate helps prevent cavities by forming a barrier on the surface of the teeth that protects the enamel.
Chocolate can really be useful, if not to exaggerate its amount.
Just 20-30 grams of healthy chocolate per day is enough to feel all the positive effects. The main thing is that chocolate is made from real cocoa beans, without added sugar, dyes and preservatives. Only then will it benefit your health and prolong your life.