CHOCOLATE: Is it harmful or beneficial to the health?
June 13, 2008 – 6:03 pm
Chocolate is one of the foods that people, who are concerned about their physique, try to shun. However, studies on chocolate reveal that there is no need to avoid reasonable amounts, as they have proven that it provides many health benefits. As scientists conduct further studies on the everyday foods we eat, we begin to realize that we have been wrongly informed about the heath-related risk-reward ratio of chocolate and about its effects on our well-being.
Cocoa, the main component in chocolate, contains phytochemicals called flavonoids, which are also in red wine, green tea, fruits and fresh vegetables. Flavonoids contain antioxidants, which are beneficial for health in that they prevent arterial damage caused by free radicals. Flavonoids are also known to reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. Moreover, a recent study shows that dark chocolate might lower your blood pressure and improve insulin resistance. Dark chocolate in particular, with its higher cocoa-to-sugar ratio, has yet another health benefit. It may actually inhibit tooth decay, lead to fewer cavities, and help to have whiter and healthier teeth. Likewise, milk chocolate is on the list of least likely foods to cause tooth decay because it contains a combination of phosphate and other minerals in its structure. In addition, chocolate contains many vitamins, including vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, and is also the highest natural source for magnesium. A lack of magnesium in one’s diet has been linked to joint problems, heart disease, and diabetes. These are a few more reasons to increase your chocolate intake. Chocolate is also an excellent source of quick energy and a powerful fighter of tiredness. About a third of the mass of a bar of chocolate consists of fats. In fact, fats have a higher energy value in calories than any other kind of nutrient. A regular chocolate bar contains 33% fat and 7% protein, providing 22.2 kJ/g of energy. Its fat and protein content makes chocolate one of the highest energy foods available. This is why chocolate bars are often included in the emergency food supplies of soldiers, mountaineers, explorers, and astronauts.
This tempting food also contains tryptophan, a chemical the brain uses to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has been proven to be an anti-depressant. It also makes one feel buoyant. Thus, with the variety of healthful substances it contains chocolate not only benefits you physically, but mentally as well by making you feel happy. Other substances present in chocolate, such as theobromine and phenyl ethylamine, have a simulating effect on the brain. These substances help to improve concentration and mental activity.
There are various misconceptions about chocolate. Probably, the most common one is that chocolate cause acne. This has been disproved, however by the University of Pennsylvania’s study on 65 acne sufferers. In the experiment, all were instructed to eat large amounts of chocolate; 46 showed no change in their condition, 10 got better, and 9 got worse, showing no direct correlation between chocolate consumption and acne. Contrary to another popular belief, chocolate only contains small amounts of caffeine. In fact, even a single cup of decaffeinated coffee contains more caffeine than the average serving of chocolate.
Given its numerous health benefits, both physical and mental, everyone should consider chocolate as a supplementary element in their diet. Consuming a reasonable amount of chocolate as part of one’s diet is definitely a good idea.