7 Healthy Reasons To Enjoy Chocolate--Without the Guilt!

7 Healthy Reasons To Enjoy Chocolate--Without the Guilt!

It might not be much of a surprise when we read about how eating broccoli can lower the risk of certain cancers, or how loaded with antioxidants fruits and vegetables are. It seems that virtually every day we see a report of a newly-discovered health benefit of a fruit or vegetable. We can almost expect foods we know we "should be eating" to eventually produce some research that will show remarkable properties. What a pleasant surprise that we can add the often-forbidden-yet-highly-desired chocolate to that list of healthy plant-based foods. Now there is a way to enjoy chocolate without guilt--and know that it can have a favorable effect on your health!
I've long enjoyed dark chocolate as a treat; now it's an extra bonus to eat a piece and know of its fascinating health-promoting properties. I especially enjoy helping to reduce the guilt-ridden looks on my patients' faces when they confess giving into their chocolate cravings. I try to absolve them of their guilt by citing the latest research and sharing with them how chocolate can be part of a healthy eating plan.
Most of you probably don't need an excuse to enjoy fine chocolate, but just in case you do, here are some healthy reasons to indulge yourself a little:
1. High in antioxidants: Chocolate is high in flavonoids, an antioxidant in the polyphenol category. Antioxidants can help to prevent cell damage and have been linked to prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
2. Helps with cholesterol: Scientists at Penn State found that dark chocolate and flavonoid-rich cocoa powder reduced LDL ("bad" cholesterol) oxidation.
3. Reduces inflammation: An Italian study showed that when volunteers ingested small amounts of dark chocolate, their levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker) decreased.
4. Lowers blood pressure: A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that dark chocolate had an effect on lowering blood pressure.
5. Helps with mood: Chocolate contains tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin, which can help with depression. Research also shows chocolate can increase dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine (PEA) known as the "love chemical."
6. Improves blood flow: Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that cocoa has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way as aspirin. Nobody is suggesting to replace your aspirin with chocolate, but the research is compelling.
7. It's delicious! Research shows that enjoying food and life is beneficial for your health.
So, does one enjoy the health benefits of chocolate with a steady diet of Snickers and Milky Way?
Hardly. It seems that the health benefits of chocolate come in packages that don't include nougat, caramel, or high amounts of sugar.
Most studies were done using cocoa powder or dark chocolate. Experts suggest that adding small amounts (a one ounce piece a few times a week) of dark chocolate to a healthy diet that includes antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables will give you a variety of phytochemicals (beneficial elements of plants) that have proven health benefits.
Thanks to all of those scientists and the volunteers who allowed themselves to be the subjects for chocolate research so we could learn to enjoy this guilty pleasure with a little less guilt. I hope you had all had fun doing it. I can't think of a better research study to participate in!
As I was preparing this blog, I stopped by one of my favorite places in Santa Monica for some homemade, raw, dark, organic chocolate: Zenbunni Chocolates and Curiosities. Within a few minutes of ingestion of this delicious treat, I felt an increased sense of mental clarity, heightened awareness, and mood elevation. One could attribute this to the caffeine and sugar, but this particular bar was low in sugar (only 4 grams) and did not result in the jitteriness that I usually feel if I have caffeine. I'm hoping that my body was enjoying the flavonoids, polyphenols, and other nutrients that nature has provided in such a tasty package.
Thank you to Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald for this great information. Dr. Fitzgerald is Wellness Editor and a licensed Acupuncturist, certified Clinical Nutrutionist, Homeopath, and Author.

Dark Chocolate and Blood Pressure

Chocolate-Eating Rats May Provide a Missing Piece in the Human Heart Health Puzzle

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, rats given a course of high-flavonoid chocolate demonstrated significant reductions in blood pressure. The team of Spanish researchers reported that blood pressure improvement was on par with a leading blood pressure medication currently prescribed by doctors.

Hypertension (high blood pressure)—a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease—is defined as greater than 140/90mmHG (systolic/ diastolic). In the United States, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of adults, affecting more than 80 million people and costing tens of billions of dollars annually to treat.

In this study, rats fed 300 milligrams of CocoanOX 12%^tm (a high-flavonoid cocoa powder) per kilogram of body weight experienced a reduction in blood pressure similar to the effect of a 50mg/kg dose of Captopril™, a well-known anti-hypertensive medicine.

“This is important because this drug is known to be a very effective antihypertensive treatment in clinical practice and spontaneously hypertensive rats represent…the best experimental model for essential hypertension in humans,” wrote the researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid.

Prepared correctly, cocoa powder is one of the world’s best sources of flavonoids, a family of antioxidant chemicals that have demonstrated beneficial effects such as increased blood circulation, lower platelet adhesion, and even anti-inflammation.

As consumers are becoming more aware of the health benefits of chocolate, more companies are introducing so-called healthy versions of their products.

But let the buyer beware. According to Dr. Steven Warren MD, DPA, “Chocolate processed under modern methods—called dutching—loses the majority of its health benefits. If you want chocolate that provides real benefits, look for a product that hasn’t been dutched or alkalized, and that has at least 70% cocoa content, with no added fats, waxes or other fillers.”

While the idea of feeding rats high-grade chocolate might appall some chocolate purists, ongoing studies in this area could provide vital clues in human heart health—particularly in the prevention of heart disease rather than the treatment after the fact.

To learn more about the health benefits of chocolate, you can go to my website: www.cocoa101.com or call 888-813-2632.

The Chocolate Craving: Sugar High or Self Medication?

Market researchers have reported that nine out of ten people say that they like chocolate. Of those, 50 percent admit that they crave chocolate. Obviously, chocolate is a great business to be in, especially since it has proved time and again to be one of the few recession-proof products out there.

In fact, in the few seconds that have passed since you started reading this article, more than 17,000 people around the world will have eaten chocolate. That’s right, over a billion people every day eat chocolate in one form or another.

What is it about chocolate that makes people rave, crave, and be a slave to it? Some will blame it on the caffeine that chocolate is reported to contain. Others will blame it on the high sugar content. But few people realize that chocolate—real chocolate—is a complex whole food that contains more than 300 different chemicals, many of which have been proven scientifically to have a beneficial effect on mood.

Processed correctly, chocolate can be a minimal-caffeine, low-glycemic food taken as part of a healthy lifestyle—mind, spirit and body.

A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry noted that almost half of people suffering from depression had cravings for chocolate; most of those said that chocolate improved their mood, and made them less anxious and irritable.

So, getting back to our first question: what is it about chocolate that makes people feel so good?
Known as “Dr. Chocolate,” Dr. Steven Warren, MD is an acknowledged expert on the health benefits of chocolate, speaking to thousands around the world about what he calls “the miracle cocoa.”

According to Dr. Warren, chocolate contains a wonderful mix of compounds and chemicals that benefit the brain and have a positive effect on our mood and emotional stability.
“One chemical in chocolate is phenylethylamine, or PEA for short,” says Dr. Warren. “This is known as the ‘love chemical,’ because it results in an increased sense of awareness, well-being and contentment.”

Chocolate also contains anandamide, which is called the “bliss chemical.” Some research points to this chemical being responsible for “runner’s high”—a sense of euphoria experienced by long-distance endurance athletes.

Even with the current and emerging research on chocolate, doctors and nutritionists are hesitant to recommend chocolate as a diet staple or prescription against depression.
“Most chocolate on the market is high in sugars and added fats. Cheap candy chocolate pads the bottom line of the chocolate manufacturing companies, but really has little or no nutritional value,” states Dr. Warren.

Dr. Warren teaches that to be healthy, chocolate must contain a high level of cocoa—at least 75%. Also, the less processed the better. If at all possible, look for cold-pressed, dark chocolate that uses a low-glycemic sweetener.

“The research shows that chocolate—in the right formulation—can be a healthy part of your diet. I actually recommend that people take three servings of chocolate a day—as long as it’s the right kind of chocolate,” says Dr. Warren, who also serves as a medical adviser to MXI Corp, manufacturers of Xocai™ healthy chocolate.

To learn more about the benefits of healthy chocolate, contact Diana McCalla, an independent business owner distributing the Xocai™ line of healthy chocolate products. Diana can be reached at diana@cocoa101.com.