Chocolate and your health

Eating Chocolate makes us calm


Nothing beats a good piece of chocolate. It’s rich, smooth, creamy and makes us feel good, until the guilt sets in. Chocolate’s mood-enhancing qualities are an obvious reason why it is so strongly associated with Valentine’s Day, as a gift for lovers and loved ones.

The product of the cacao tree has been winning fans since Aztec leader Montezuma introduced the beverage (chocolate candy as we know it didn't appear until the 1800's) to the Spanish conqueror Cortez, who subsequently took it home to Spain. (While the original drink was rather bitter, the Spanish made a few creative innovations - using sugar instead of chilies, and adding cinnamon and vanilla).
What is it that makes chocolate so irresistible? A large part of chocolate's allure, of course, lies in the taste - a deliciously rich concoction that satisfies the most intense craving. But several chemical reactions are also at work. For one thing, chocolate stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasureable sensation similar to the "runner's high" a jogger feels after running several miles.
Chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter, serotonin, that acts as an anti-depressant. Other substances, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine, have a stimulating effect. However, the truth is that scientists are still not positive how the over three-hundred chemicals contained in chocolate make us feel so good.  


With so much going for it, it's unfortunate that chocolate has developed a bad reputation on the health front. Confirmed chocoholics often worry that indulging their craving will lead to everything from rotting teeth to acne, not to mention the need to lose a few pounds.
Fortunately, scientists are beginning to disprove some common myths about the dangers of eating too much chocolate. For example, it is not true that eating chocolate can cause acne or make it worse. Nor is chocolate the threat to healthy teeth that it was once thought to be. While both cocoa and chocolate contain sugar, they also have properties that work against sugar's tendency to produce the oral bacteria that eventually leads to dental decay. In fact, researchers at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York, have concluded that milk chocolate is one of the snack foods that is least likely to contribute to tooth decay, since it contains phosphate and other minerals.
Furthermore, while chocolate may not be the most healthy snack around, it does contain a number of nutrients. High in potassium and magnesium, chocolate also provides us with several vitamins - including B1, B2, D, and E. As for calories, no one is going to claim chocolate is the quintessential diet food. Still, the average chocolate bar contains approximately 250 calories - low enough for a dieter to enjoy one as an occasional treat. Besides, indulging your chocolate craving from time to time can help prevent the bingeing that is a dieter's worst enemy.

Dark Chocolate


First, and most importantly, true dark chocolate is usually considered anything at or above 65% cacao.Dark chocolate, depending on its quality, is less calorie-laden. It typically contains much less cocoa butter than light chocolate. So score one for dark chocolate on this count.Light chocolate, also called milk chocolate, as its name implies, contains milk which lightens its color and makes it taste smoother. The chief health benefit of chocolate is from flavanoids which have antioxidant qualities. They are said to help improve or relax blood pressure by producing nitric oxide. It may also help to reduce bad cholesterol levels. Research shows that the addition of milk destroys the antioxidants. So score two for dark chocolate over light or milk chocolate on this count.
Other benefits of chocolate, not restricted, I think, to the dark variety, is that it leads to feelings of pleasure due to the production of endorphin. It also contains serotonin, which is an anti-depressant. But some researchers say that the protein in the chocolate will counteract the serotonin. At the same time, there are stimulants like theobromine and caffeine. All these ingredients, in combination, tend to produce, I suppose, a sense of pleasure, a happy mood and yet a slightly sharpened alertness.
But the taste? That depends on individuals. Most people find the bitterness in dark chocolate not so appetizing, which, it might be said, is also its virtue. But if you want to take it like a medicine, there is nothing wrong with that! There are, however, those who actually prefer its taste to the more sugary and sweeter light chocolate. They are the lucky ones. It can also be an acquired taste, boosted by the thought of its goodness.

5 Benefits of Dark Chocolate

1. Studies have shown dark chocolate to lower blood pressure
2. Studies have also shown dark chocolate to lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
3. It turns women on more than a passionate kissing session (no wonder they want it for Valentine's Day!)
4. Contains serotonin, a natural mood-boosting anti-depressant
5. Stimulates pleasure-inducing endorphin production