Chocolate Lovers Rejoice!! Just In Time For Valentines Day-Chocolate Pros! MMMM!! Woohoo!

Just In Time For Valentines Day! Chocolate Lovers Rejoice!!!!

Does it get any better than this really? Harvard researchers recently found that cocoa flavanols (protective substances that are also abundant in dark chocolate) help improve blood flow to the brain, which could slow the mental decline that occurs as you age. Surely this is great news for me as I eat more chocolate than anybody should be allowed in a lifetime! After reading this and of course indulging in some chocolate to help my mental decline I decided to share one of my all time favorite posts that I wrote sometime ago on the benefits (okay a few cons but definitely more benefits) of chocolate. If this does not make your day all you chocolate lovers out there then I don’t know what will.

Chocolate Pros-Wooohhhoooo!!! It is good for you!!!

**If you eat chocolate, only eat dark chocolate-Dark chocolate has many beneficial polyphenolic bioflavanoids that have powerful antioxidant properties, which can actually help to protect you from damaging oxidative stress. (This is good news-definitely cheers me up a bit)

**Chocolate contains the same type of disease-fighting "phenolic" chemicals as red wine and fruits and vegetables, says Andrew Waterhouse of the University of California at Davis.

**Boosts brain chemicals- More Americans crave chocolate than any other food. Some explanations: chocolate's "melt-in-the mouth" consistency and mood-lifting chemicals such as caffeine and theobromine. And when mixed with sugar and fat, chocolate appears to boost "feel-good" chemicals in the brain (endorphins and serotonin), thus promoting euphoria and calm. Some women use chocolate candy to "self-medicate" for premenstrual syndrome, studies have found.

**Doesn't cause acne. Giving up chocolate won't cure acne or pimples, according to a famous test at the University of Pennsylvania. In the test, 65 acne-plagued adolescents ate the amount of chocolate in 1 pound of bittersweet chocolate a day for a month. For another month, they ate a dummy chocolate bar. Their acne was no worse on the real chocolate than on the fake chocolate.

**Helps lactose intolerance .Chocolate makes milk easier to digest if you are lactose-intolerant. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island found that adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of cocoa to 1 cup of milk blocked cramping, bloating and other signs of lactose intolerance in half of 35 subjects. Cocoa stimulates lactase enzyme activity, they found.

**Also, researchers at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego recently found that chocolate contains anandamide, a chemical that mimics marijuana's soothing effects on the brain (this must be why I run for chocolate when stressed).

**Tests show chocolate contains antibacterial compounds that may discourage, not promote, tooth decay.

**No link to hyperactivity -Some contend that eating chocolate (or sugar) causes hyperactivity, aggression or other behavior problems, notably in children. But several scientific studies have found no evidence of that. In fact, some research finds sweets calm many children.

**Tastes really, really good! Chocolate Cons (I don't like any cons with chocolate but in the name of fairness....)

In Fairness (and sadness) a few Cons......

**Chocolate's greatest crime is that it usually is combined with animal fats, dangerous trans-fats and sugar in high-calorie, bad-fat baked goods.

**Can cause heartburn. Chocolate is a common culprit in heartburn, according to tests by Donald O. Castell, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania. The reason: Chocolate contains concentrations of theobromine, which relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, letting stomach acid squirt up into the esophagus. If you suffer from heartburn, he advises, go easy on chocolate.

**Does contain caffeine. Most people have no negative reaction to small amounts of caffeine. If you're sensitive, you should know how chocolate stacks up with caffeine sources: 5 oz. brewed coffee has 85mg caffeine 5 oz. loose tea or 1 tea bag, 30mg 6 oz. cola, 18mg 1 oz. chocolate candy, 6mg 5 oz. cocoa or hot chocolate, 4mg 6 oz. chocolate milk, 4mg
Fun Fact!!!!!!

The average American eats almost 12 pounds of chocolate a year (double that for me). World chocolate consumption rises 3 percent a year, while cocoa bean production rises just 1.5 percent. To avert an eventual shortage, growers are working to increase production. LOL!

Source USAWeekend.com

Happy Valentines Day!

11 comments:

  1. How come chocolate is only good for you for people with sweet tooth's? Just kidding, I have heard about the goodness of chocolate for years...just don't overindulge...easier said than done...happy valentine's day, Heidi...

    peace,
    mike
    livelife

    ReplyDelete
  2. i am rejoining, woohooo! i love chocolates :) Happy Valentine's to you, Heidi

    ReplyDelete
  3. Heidi:

    I do love chocolate so much. But unfortunately, my system will not tolerate it.

    Happy valentine's Day to you.

    Happy trails.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Timely post Heidi! My wife loves chocolate and anything with chocolate in it! As Mike said, just don't overindulge. I am fortunate, as I never developed a sweet tooth, so I can go without it, doesn't bother me a bit. My wife on the other hand...not so much. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Heidi, fortunately I only crave chocolate when my blood sugar is low, bad thing is, then I will finish a whole slab all by myself. but then I can go without it for weeks. Dark chocolate is not my favorite, then I will rather have a glass of red wine, which we do on a regular basis. haha...

    Thanks for sharing. Thanks also for leaving a very kind thought on my last post, my wife will appreciate your kind words!

    Hope your weekend was great, and hopefully your week will be stunning.
    Take care Heidi.
    Colin.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've never been a fan of sweets so I guess I will have to get my phenolic chemicals from red wine!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yay! I love chocolates! Good thing to know they have more pros than cons : )

    ReplyDelete
  8. For all the joy it brings, most people are willing to overlook the flaws. As always, top-notch info. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love chocolates!:)

    chocolate-gifts.co.cc

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love chocolate:)

    chocolate-gifts.co.cc

    ReplyDelete
  11. belated happy vday and i would love to snack on chocolates too!

    ReplyDelete

Fat, Fat I Ain't Down With That! Easy Tips To Revive Your Metabolism!

 I get a little lazy in winter since generally the swimsuit is many months away however this year I am determined to not let the holidays an...