Health benefits of dark chocolate

Health benefits of dark chocolate They are abundantly more than your average food. You could even say that dark chocolate is a super food. Raw and unprocessed cocoa is the richest food in antioxidants on the planet. However, there is one thing to consider, more than 50% of that medicinal value is destroyed during processing. There is a manufacturer that is doing something different. The makers of Xocai Healthy Chocolate use a proprietary cold-pressing method. This process produces a healthy chocolate high in antioxidants that has uncooked and intact medicinal value. A 12g piece of Xocai chocolate, for example, has as much and perhaps more antioxidants as 12 pounds. of tomatoes, or more than 1.5 pounds of spinach, or 2 pounds. raspberries.

It is recommended by the USDA for a minimum antioxidant intake and 3,000 to 5,000 ORACs per day. When you are exposed to excessive toxins or exercise frequently, you need even more.

Time and time again, research shows us that there is a direct correlation between our health and antioxidant intake.

Cocoa is rich in polyphenols, mostly flavonoids-flavan-3-ols, flavanols (epicatechin and catechin) and procyanidins. Cocoa comes from a plant called Theobromo cacoa. Fifty percent of the weight of the cocoa bean is cocoa butter, while the main fatty acids are stearic and palmitic (saturated fats), oleic (a monounsaturated fatty acid also in olive oil) and linoleic acid (polyunsaturated) . Stearic acid fat does not raise blood cholesterol like many other saturated fatty acids. Both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber are found in the cocoa bean, which helps reduce cholesterol levels. Fiber is extremely important for reducing colon cancer rates, preventing constipation, and improving sugar metabolism. Several useful minerals and vitamins are also found in the cocoa bean. One of these helpful nutrients found in dark chocolate is magnesium, which is important for muscle relaxation, energy production, nerve conduction, as well as the health and development of teeth and bones. PMS (premenstrual syndrome) can be associated with magnesium deficiencies. Dark cocoa is a rich source of copper, which is involved in several of the body’s chemical processes. Dark cocoa is also high in potassium, which is vital for cardiovascular health.

By weight, chocolate has the highest concentration of flavonoids: flavan-3-ols, flavanols (epicatechin and catechin), and procyanidins of all foods. Loaded with a variety of phytonutrients, it makes chocolate very rich in antioxidants. To measure the rates of antioxidants in food, the scientific test called ORAC is used. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. One of the highest on the ORAC scale is chocolate. Higher than green tea and red wine, dark chocolate has more effective antioxidants.

Cocoa helps reduce cardiovascular damage by increasing the production of good cholesterol (HDL), which works to cleanse and cleanse the blood vessels of harmful fats. The flavonoids in cocoa prevent platelets from forming harmful clots that damage the blood vessels of the heart muscle. By helping blood vessels to dilate more easily, flavonoids allow more blood flow to the heart (nitric oxide (NO) activation). The same goes for insulin-stimulated blood sugar uptake, which leads to better diabetes control. Cocoa also has anti-inflammatory properties, which prevents the inflammatory process (cytokines) from damaging the body.

Dark chocolate has been shown in many studies to lower blood pressure, which of course decreases damage to the heart vessels. Additionally, cocoa is a renin-angiotension enzyme inhibitor, which works the same as many blood pressure pills (ACE inhibitors).

Dark cocoa helps reduce tooth decay, prevents gum disease, and reduces plaque on teeth according to other research.

Antioxidant principles can be applied to slow the progression of dementia. Vitamins such as vitamin E and some B vitamins have also been used to help with dementia. As mentioned above, cocoa has the same ability to decrease free radical damage, which in turn helps improve memory and limit dementia.

Dark chocolate improves the body’s ability to use insulin, while stopping the resistance problem that can lead to diabetes. Cocoa helps increase nitric oxide levels, which helps with insulin-stimulated blood sugar uptake. This also improves the health of the blood vessels, decreasing the damage of diabetes in the small vessels.

Liver damage has been reduced by cocoa, while it can repair liver cells even after prolonged exposure to alcohol.

The antioxidant properties of cocoa can also affect cancer. By stopping the oxidation of cells, antioxidants can hinder the development of cancer cells.

Some other things we find in chocolate are theobromine, a very small amount of caffeine, phenylethylamine (PEA, the “chemical of love”) and anandamide, which increases mental awareness. Research speaks of the antidepressant effects of chocolate and shows that it increases serotonin and dopamine levels. Chocolate also helps curb our appetite for fats and helps decrease our fat intake. Cocoa alone can also decrease your appetite. The carbohydrates in chocolate increase energy. The central nervous system is stimulated by theobromine giving us additional energy. Theobromine, a cousin of theophylline, helps open the lungs to improve breathing, as it is also used in cough medicines. Low libido in women could be improved with chocolate, studies have shown.