Chocolate: Make it Work For You Not Against You

Chocolate: make it work for you not against you

A delicious way to bring someone closer to your heart is to give them a pleasure of chocolate!  Researchers come up with a new updates on uses and major effects of chocolate in our system.  This article put together the latest studies on advantages of chocolate in our body.

-Alkaloids, Xanthine, theobromine and phenethylamine are the main chemicals naturally found in chocolate, which have a physiological effect on the body.  It has been noted to be associated to serotonin levels in the brain.

-Chocolate hair treatment—the fatty acids in chocolate can be used for improvement along with indulgence.  The rich concoction smoothes and conditions your locks, making hair supple

-It is the theobromine content which renders to its being toxic to some animals particularly dogs and cats.

-Chocolate as unusual beauty treatment-Chocolate fondue all over your body, it is made of chocolate and shea butter—its essential oils rehydrate, soften, soothe, and nourish your skin.

-Chocolate as an Aphrodisiac–although it is still a debatable issue-when we consume chocolate, we increase level of serotonin and phenethylamine which leads to the feeling of excitement makes us feel good all over—much like being in love!

– According to an analysis of available research that was released February 11 and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology in their 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, eating chocolate may lower risk of having a stroke.  Chocolate is rich in flavonoids which is good antioxidant, it has a protective effect against stroke, but more work is needed.

-Dark chocolate is far more filling than milk chocolate, decreasing our cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.  It may be a good idea to eat dark chocolate to keep your weight down over the seasons of festive.  It is a known fact that it is healthier to eat dark chocolate, but now scientists at the Department of Human Nutrition at LIFE, University of Copenhagen, have discovered that dark chocolate also gives more of a feeling of satiety than milk chocolate.

-The most wanted and frequently craved food is Chocolate.  A popular explanation for this is that chocolate contains mood-enhancing ingredients (psychoactive) that give it distinct appeal.  It is the milk chocolate and chocolate covered confectionery that mostly people craved for.  It is suggested that liking for chocolate and its effects on mood are due to its constituents, sugar and fat, and their related orosensory and nutritional effects.

-According to Sunil Kochhar and his colleagues, eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling intensely stressed.  He noted that the growing scientific basis that antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark chocolate may reduce risk factors for heart disease and other physical conditions.

-A prescription saying a dose of dark chocolate to help patients suffering from liver cirrhosis and from life threatening high blood pressure in their abdomen, a new research presented April 15 at the International Liver Congress 2010.  Eating dark chocolate may prevent this potential threat to cirrhotic patients.

Reference:

Sunil Kochhar. Science daily Journal