Stop treating chocolate as a guilty pleasure and celebrate it for what it is - a true superfood! Chocolate boosts your cognition, positively effects your stress response and reduces inflammation. What’s not to like?
Chocolate makes you happy
Chocolate consumption has a mood-improving effect causing your brain to release the happy-neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
Chocolate reduces stress
Chocolate can have a positive impact on cortisol levels, one of the main hormones secreted in response to stress. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to disturbed sleep, food cravings, weight gain, raised blood sugar and a suppressed immune system.
Chocolate is a super antioxidant
Flavanoids and polyphenols are two groups of antioxidants found in abundance in chocolate. Polyphenols have properties that help combat inflammation, cardiovascular disease, dementia, osteoporosis and insulin resistance. The polyphenols in chocolate increase HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) and decrease LDL cholesterol of the dense, oxidised variety (“bad” cholesterol).
Chocolate improves mental focus and memory
Theobromine is a substance found in chocolate similar to caffeine, giving a more subtle type of energy compared to caffeine. Consumption of chocolate is also associated with increased blood flow to the brain due to the high flavanol content which is significantly greater than other super fruit powders, such as acai, cranberry and blueberry.
Chocolate improves your skin
Chocolate helps you maintain healthy skin by protecting it from UV damage and improving blood flow resulting in increased skin density and thickness and better hydration.
Chocolate improves your gut health
Consuming chocolate has a beneficial effect on your gut microbiome, stimulating the growth of beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
Chocolate suppresses appetite
Choosing chocolate as a snack is correlated with a lower calorie intake at the following meal.
Chocolate is your fountain of youth
Chocolate enhances the creation of new mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells. As we age, the number and efficacy of our mitochondria decreases. Powering up our mitochondria lies at the heart of any well-defined anti-ageing strategy.
Does all this sound too good to be true?
Well, it is, if you like sweet chocolate. While research shows that cacao has multiple health benefits, the opposite is true for sugar. Make sure that the cocoa content is at least 70%, preferably 85% or above.
Are interested in preventative health care? Please reach out to us! We would love to talk to you!
#chocolate #healthbenefits #polyphenols #flavanoids #theobromine #superantioxidant #guthealth #improvedmentalfocus #memory #cognition