Health Benefits of Chocolate
Gone are the days when chocolate was synonymous to “unhealthy”. Noawadays, consumption of such in appropriate mounts can actually be beneficial for you, health-wise. Needless to say, you should have the right stuff in hand, not the sugary and not-so-healthy kind.
Contrary to our common thinking, consumption of chocolates can possibly improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and the risk for diabetes. It may sound contradictory but it is true according to Harvard researchers. This study involved a review of 24 studies and 1,106 participants. And the said health benefits are due to the chocolate’s content called flavonoids which are of highest levels in the dark variants.
Dark chocolates were also considered as potent antioxidants by the scientists. These antioxidants attach themselves to free radicals, which are the main cause of cell destruction, and they are flushed away through digestion and other processes. Chocolates are also found out to have what they call ORACS (Oxygen radical Absorbance Capacity Units), and its contents are higher than those of red wine’s and even green tea’s. Consumption of food rich in antioxidants cuts down the risk of having heart attacks, stroke, asthma, and even degenerative cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Yet another reason to pamper yourself with chocolate! But of course, in moderation.
Chocolate labels nowadays display the percentage of cocoa solids they contain. So, when purchasing, be sure to check it and choose those with at least 70% of cocoa and those that have minimally-processed cacao in them. Antioxidants are not the only nutritional benefit chocolate has to offer, but other stuff as well such as iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, B-1, C, D and E.
Study indicates that a single 5-g square contains approximately 25 calories and 1.5 g. of fat. Thus, an entire row is about 125 calories and 7.5 g of fat.
Instead of devouring one whole bar of chocolate in one sitting, why not try consuming a single row one square at a time? This way, you can rest assured that you are eating moderately.
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Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, chocolate benefits, cocoa, contents
Flavonoids In Chocolate Are Good For The Health
Cacao is known to contain a certain substance called Flavonoids, specifically Flavanols. These are chemicals usually see in plant-based foods and they are famous for their nutritional value. There are over 4,000 flavonoids and they are typically found in fruits, vegetables and beverages such as rea, coffee, beer, wine and fruit drinks. Why certainly, it is found in chocolates as well!
When we consume flavonoid-containing foods, it follows that we get the benefits of antioxidants in it which can combat body cell damage. Moreover, research suggests that flavonoids have benefits to the vascular health like lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to the brain and heart so the blood platelets become less viscous. Therefore, it keeps cholesterol from gathering in and blocking blood vessels. It also retards the immune responses that may cause arteries to clog.
Eating a tiny piece of dark chocolate per day can give you health benefits over time. Why dark chocolates, you may ask. We know that there are different types of chocolate. Dark chocolates contain the highest amount of cocoa compared to other variants such as milk and white chocolates which pretty much means dark chocolate holds more flavonoids than the other two. Since processing chocolate oftentimes wipes out the flavonoids in chocolates, chocolate companies have been learning techniques to make dark chocolate keep its flavonoids up to 95%.
Health experts suggest that flavonoid-rich foods are better than dietary supplements that contain high amounts of flavonoids. So, go ahead and get your piece of chocolate! Yes, besides being mouthwatering and luscious, chocolates are in fact healthy!
However, just because it’s healthy and can give you health benefits doesn’t mean you have to devour 5 bars in one sitting. Remember, too much of something is bad. Moderation is always key. Eat a little at a time and wait for the nutritional payback over time.
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Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, chocolate benefits, contain, dark chocolate, flavonoids, health benefits, Healthy Chocolate
Things You Should Know About Chocolate
Chocolates that contain at least 70% cocoa are the best ones you can choose, taking into account the higher the cocoa content, the more nutrients you can get. Your chocolate is also better non- or lightly alkalized or non-dutched. Milk and white chocolate are sooo good, but they don’t have as much healthy flavanols as dark chocolate does.
If you’re not crazy about dark chocolate, don’t worry. They say it’s an acquired taste, and you can learn it by gradually increasing percentage of cocoa in the chocolates that you have. Truth be told, there are milk chocolates with 50 percent cocoa or more available these days.
Portion control is the way to go. Studies have shown that as few as 30 calories of flavanol-rich dark chocolate can lower the blood pressure. Nevertheless, indulging yourself once in a while is not so bad. A 500-calorie indulgence amounts to only about a two-ounce weight gain, and you can sweat that out in the gym any day.
No, don’t confuse chocolate with an aphrodisiac. Sorry chocoholic boys, but science has still not proven that chocolate can increase the libido of your female partner. Don’t go sending here boxes of chocolate and expect something in return!
However, cocoa can be considered as a fountain of youth in its own right, since it is proven to keep skin young. Cocoa beans come with antioxidants that can combat free radicals, which are known to bring about skin damage. When cocoa beans are made into chocolate bars, they can lose a sizable amount of antioxidants. That being said, have it in liquid form and drink cocoa instead!
Furthermore, chocolate is beneficial to the heart, given that a study had shown that specific substances in chocolate cold lessen LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and an increase the HDL cholesterol (the good kind).
Also, chocolate is not evil for the teeth. As a matter of fact, chocolate can help prevent cavities and plaque build-up on the teeth. A sugar-laden chocolate is a different story, though.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, chocolate fun facts, chocolate information, cocoa, dark chocolate, fun chocolate facts, fun facts, once
Chocolate As Sunblock
Chocolate-scented products may be a commonplace, but pure chocolate as sunblock? Yes, it sounds a bit odd. But no, it’s not applied topically!
Recent studies showed that chocolate consumption does not only satisfy your sweet tooth but it’s said to protect the skin from the harsh rays of the sun.
Contrary to the popular belief that chocolate does nothing but cause acne, it can actually be very beneficial to your skin. It’s like something you totally love while just waiting for the benefits bite after bite! It doesn’t happen right away though.
All of this is because of the antioxidants that chocolate contains which are known as Polyphenals that give skin the kind of care it deserves as it can reduce ongoing cellular damage. Scientists claim that this certain compound does not only improve the skin but it can also give protection against the harmful UV rays. Polyphenals are said to enhance blood flow close to the skin, making all this benefits possible.
Are you crazy about chocolates? Well, let me encourage that problem. Here are some other interesting tidbits that make chocolate standout in the skin care industry. First, because of the cocoa butter, chocolates are known to soften the skin. Also, due to the significant amounts of antioxidants it contains, it is said to prevent wrinkles. It is also a well-known moisturizer and can keep the skin well-hydrated. Recent studies have also found out that chocolates can be used in combating the effects of skin aging.
But even without all these astonishing skin benefits, chocolate has a very special place in our hearts. It’s just downright amazing to learn that looking good can be this heavenly!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, research, Science, SKIN
Vegan Chocolate: The Impossible?
Vegan chocolate: it might seem like the impossible dream. Can you avoid eating all animal products but still enjoy the delicious taste – and the health benefits – of chocolate? I know at least one friend (a vegetarian who avoids dairy products, which means that vegan chocolate would be appropriate for her) who would love to find this product, and I guess that you probably know a person like this too – maybe it’s you. Is vegan chocolate possible? Or are vegans permanently condemned to carob substitutes while others enjoy the pleasures of chocolate?
It’s easier than you think to make and find vegan chocolate. You have to remember that although we’re used to seeing and tasting chocolate that has had milk or dairy products added to it, chocolate does not come from a cow (or even a goat). Chocolate is made from substances derived from the seed of the Theobroma cacao tree, known as the cocoa bean. The primary ingredients that go into chocolate – cocoa solids and cocoa butter – both come from a plant source, which is good news for vegans. Most vegan chocolate is dark chocolate: the type of chocolate with 70% plus cocoa solids. This is because vegan chocolate is usually dark chocolate, and it’s only the light coloured (milk chocolate and white chocolate) varieties that have to contain milk. Looking at the label of a 72% cocoa solids block of dark chocolate, the ingredient list contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, soya lecithin and vanilla.. Each of these ingredients passes the vegan test – they’re all from plants – this is vegan chocolate, all right. Most dark (70% plus cocoa solids) chocolate is likely to be vegan chocolate, but read the label if you want to make certain.
The health community has become quite excited about vegan chocolate (a.k.a. dark chocolate) because it is rich in antioxidants, and also contains a large number of trace elements, some of which are hard to find in other dietary sources, especially selenium. While nobody should make a pig of themselves with any sort of chocolate, vegan or otherwise, eating 50 g of dark chocolate a day has a number of health benefits: lowering stress, boosting the immune system and supplying the body with good nutrients. Anecdotal evidence also hints that eating small amounts of dark chocolate can help you lose weight, as dark chocolate has a high “satiety index”, meaning that eating a little of it makes you feel full and satisfied, so you don’t go and eat large quantities of other food.
It’s also possible to find fair trade vegan chocolate and organic vegan chocolate.
You can also enjoy using chocolate in other vegan foods, including baking, by using ordinary cocoa powder. A very easy recipe for vegan chocolate cake that is so simple that children can cook it is given below:
1 ½ cups flour.
1 cup sugar.
1 t baking soda.
¼ t salt.
3 T cocoa powder.
6 T vegetable oil (not olive oil – the flavour is too strong).
1 T vinegar.
1 t vanilla.
1 cup water.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Scoop three holes in the mixture, one large and two small. Fill the largest hole with the oil, and put the vinegar and vanilla separately into the other two holes. Pour in the water over the entire mixture and stir well to make a smooth batter. Place into a greased cake tin and bake at 170°C for 30-40 minutes. For variation, cinnamon and/or sultanas can be added to the dry ingredients.
To find delicous vegan chocolate treats and gifts or to ask more about vegan chocolate, visit Luna Mare Vegan Chocolate. (Click now to get SEO for real readers, not robots, using Semantic Writing by Rick Rakauskas)
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, SEO
Xocai Review: Can You Become A Millionaire Eating Chocolate?
Thanks for visiting my Xocai Review! I’d been hearing a lot about this chocolate MLM, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to look at it. I mean, who doesn’t adore chocolate?
In this Xocai review, I’ll go over their (tasty) product, compensation plan, plus whether or not this company is set to build in the future. And of course, if I think you’d be smart to join.
Now, this is a totally unprejudiced Xocai review, as I’m not affiliated with them. However, if it appears like a decent opportunity for you, read to the end because I’ll explain to you how to virtually promise your success inside the company!
Xocai is a network marketing company that is a division of MXI Corp. The previous owners of Xocai sold more than $300 million in chocolate in their past mlm venture. The company is at the moment growing and expanding in 5 continents, and they’ve had exponential growth in their profit!
Xocai Review: Actual Product?
I believe this is a killer product because it’s an unique spin on the health and wellness industry. When you purchase a health juice, you in fact have no idea whether it’s going to taste good or not. However, everybody is already familiar with chocolate and know that it tastes awesome!
Their wares include solid chocolates, nutritional chocolate beverages, as well as chocolate based protein powder and bars.
Wait, chocolate is a health product? Many studies over the past couple of decades have proven that dark chocolate has many health benefits, not the least of which is a high supply of antioxidants. Usually, chocolate is generally bad for you after it’s processed and all kinds of stuff is added to it.
Xocai Review: Good Pay Plan?
Their compensation plan is designed as a binary, which signifies you build up two legs. You may get paid in 8 separate ways, including recruiting bonuses, retail commission, commission through your team’s volume, as well as incentives like cars, trips, as well as cruises.
Furthermore, it merely sets you back $39 to join into the company. That $39 essentially allows you access to wholesale pricing and to distribute merchandise. You do have to pay the monthly autoship for merchandise to remain active.
Xocai also claims to bear one of the highest retention rates in the entire industry, because it’s inexpensive and on the grounds that everyone likes chocolate!
Xocai Review: Conclusion
Anything with chocolate has to be great right? They own an excellently designed compensation plan, the biz is growing, and certainly people prefer their merchandise. In my opinion, this is a great place to grow a business with.
However, being with a good business doesn’t promise your success. Unfortunately, nearly all Xocai reps aren’t making any money at all, and it’s not the company’s fault. It’s because they don’t understand by what means to market their business.
In order to really take advantage of the compensation plan and hit the top levels in the company, you have to generate leads every single day, and recruit routinely. Many network marketers are using the net to take advantage of all the people who hop online searching for business opportunities to join.
To see how you may use the web to get endless leads plus recruit at will for your Xocai business, visit the resource box below!
Thanks for checking out this Xocai Review!
Erin wrote this Xocai Review to show network marketers a great opportunity. To see how Erin has taught hundreds of other Xocai reps to generate 10-15 times more leads than the average network marketer on the internet, check out Xocai Review now!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, MLM, Xocai Review, Xocai Review Erin
Choc TacticsChocolate Recipes to Scare your Body into Submission
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Whether we’re talking a sumptuous chocolate cake for a celebration, batches of muffins for the kids or a silky chocolate sauce, it’s much easier than you may think to use chocolate recipes in your cooking. And you mustn’t feel guilty about enjoying this universal pleasure: chocolate is a good source of iron and antioxidants called flavenoids which may help to protect against heart disease and cancer.
A few tips to start with – Many people suggest melting chocolate in a microwave, but in fact this will cook the chocolate as well as melting it (although it’s fine for the world’s speediest chocolate pud, below!). You can do it, but it’s much gentler on the ingredient to heat it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water.
Experiment with different brands to give variations for simple chocolate recipes. Like wine, chocolate differs hugely depending on where the beans were grown, how they were roasted and their quality in general.
Make easy chocolate curls for decorating desserts. Just melt chocolate then spread it thinly over a piece of baking parchment, lining a baking tray. Put it in the fridge to harden, then carefully ease it off with a knife. Your cakes and puddings will have a very professional touch!
Magical muffins – Buy a chocolate muffin in a shop and you’ll pay quite a bit for something that’s probably quite ordinary. Instead, why not make your own for a fraction of the price? Using oil in muffins gives a lovely light result and is ideal for vegans or those avoiding animal fats. With this recipe you simply add 175g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 150g caster sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa to a mixing bowl. Make a well then add 150ml each oil and milk and 2 beaten eggs. Whisk it all together by hand or using a whisk, then pour the batter into 12 muffin cases, or 16 cake cases. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch.
The speediest chocolate pud recipe in the world! – Every child I know (and adults too) love this speedy choccie pud. Put the kettle on and, while it boils, mix together 4 tbsp self-raising flour, 4 tbsp caster sugar and 4 tbsp cocoa in a large microwaveproof mug or jug. Add 1 egg then mix again. Pour in 3 tbsp milk and 3 tbsp vegetable oil and mix again, adding a handful of chocolate drops if you like. Microwave on HIGH for 2.5 minutes. What could be easier…and hardly any washing up! Top with cream, chopped nuts or summer berries, or eat as it is.
A quick and impressive dessert chocolate recipe in summer is to take a range of fresh fruit – strawberries, physalis (Cape gooseberries), pineapple, mango and banana and dip them into melted chocolate – a good way of getting some of their 5 a day into your children, while giving them a choccie treat at the same time.
Find more interesting and delicious chocolate recipes from the website Delia Online.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: antioxidants, Delia Online, HIGH
