Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health?
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| By
Marguerite Bonneville |
| If you're a fan of
chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the
most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been
for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate
is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health.
Which gives it an air of the forbidden. |
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| A beautifully wrapped
box of chocolates has always been considered a very romantic
gift. So if the special person in your life is a self-confessed
chocoholic, you know one surefire way to please them on
special occasions. But the surprising news from the scientific
community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually
has some health benefits, especially if you choose your
chocolate wisely. |
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| Is Chocolate A
Health Food? |
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| Chocolate contains
over 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number
of studies by universities and other scientific organizations.
Here's a quick rundown of the results. We have no way of
proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here
as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested
in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point. |
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| * Cacao, the source
of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth
decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar
content of milk chocolate. |
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| * The smell of chocolate
may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation. |
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| * Chocolate contains
phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator. |
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| * The cocoa butter
in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat
which may raise good cholesterol. |
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| * Drinking a cup
of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite. |
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| * Men who eat chocolate
live a year longer than those who don't. |
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| * The flavanoids
in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic. |
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| * Chocolate increases
antioxidant levels in the blood. |
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| * Mexican healers
use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites. |
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| * The carbohydrates
in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting
in a sense of well-being. |
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| There are many myths
and half-truths about the effects of chocolate on the human
body. Here are the latest findings on several of them. |
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| * Studies show that
chocolate is not a causative factor in acne. |
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| * Cacao contains
the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities
that they don't cause nervous excitability. |
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| * Chocolate is not
addictive. |
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| * Chocolate contains
stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol. |
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| * Chocolate doesn't
make you 'high'. You'd need to eat a huge quantity (about
25lbs at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect. |
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| But On The Negative
Side... |
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| 1. Chocolate may
trigger headaches in migraine sufferers. |
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| 2. Milk chocolate
is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar. |
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| What About Chocolate
And Your Pets? |
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| Chocolate is considered
dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called
theobromine, which they can't digest. |
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| Dark chocolate and
baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain
higher concentrations of the substance. This applies whether
chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake,
cookies, puddings or ice cream. |
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| If a pet becomes
ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately. |
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| Dark Chocolate
Versus Milk Chocolate |
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| Dark chocolate contains
more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. It follows
that any health benefits would be more pronounced in dark
chocolate. |
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| Dark chocolate is
allowed on the popular Montaignac diet while milk chocolate
is not. |
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| You'll need to do
a little research if you have any health concerns about
eating chocolate. But with products like gluten-free and
sugar-free brands finding their way onto supermarket shelves,
you're sure to find some form of chocolate you can enjoy
with a clear conscience. |
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| � Marguerite Bonneville
is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
(NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She
is a contributing writer for
http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource
site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic
gift. |
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