Its tempting, its delectable, its irresistible and it tastes heavenly!
No matter which way you look it chocolates are bad. After all who in his sanest mind would believe that something that tastes so good could actually be good for health?
Small wonder why sinful has become a clich�on dessert menus. And chocolate that was once considered the treat to promote virility and longevity by the Aztec culture is today considered to be more of a junk food than a health fare. Yes, chocolate has fat and calories. However lately scientist across the globe have discovered that chocolate isnt as wicked as it is made out to be. And the reason behind is the cocoa liquor, the creamy paste of ground cacao beans used to make chocolates. This, according to nutrition experts, is natures richest source of polyphenols, a class of phytonutrients with potent antioxidant activity and other therapeutic effects.
Simply translated, chocolate, especially the dark, semisweet variety, is not only as nutritious as fruits and vegetables but also can protect the heart, ward cancer and more.
Here are four reasons why you should add it to your diet too:
1. It acts as antioxidants:
Chocolate is a plant food derived from the bean of Theobroma cacao, which is rich in antioxidant flavonoids called flavanols like procyanidins, epicatechins and catechins. Chemicals that help lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and to some extent Type-2 diabetes. In fact, a small bar (30 gms) of dark chocolate has about the same amount of flavonoids as half a cup of brewed black tea and the same health benefits.
2. Keeps blood platelets from clumping together:
Several studies have shown that dark/bitter chocolate reduces blood clotting; it also has the effect of stablising arterial plague, making it less likely to travel and cause a heart stroke. Somewhat similar to how aspirin works. Dark chocolate also has positive effects on cholesterol levels. Although its hefty saturated fat content may seem contradictory, most of that fat is stearic acid which unlike other saturated fats has no adverse effect on cholesterol levels. In fact the British Medical Journal has named chocolate one among the seven heart healthy foods.
3. Mediates Inflammation:
Whether its heart ailment, osteoporosis, diabetes or cancer, inflammation is associated with all chronic diseases. And plays an important role to make the case worse. And this is exactly what chocolate reverses.
To put it precisely cocoa flavanols which have shown inflammation lowering properties. They do this by reducing blood concentrations of 5-lipoxygenase, a key enzyme in the synthesis of Leukotriences. These are highly active compound that are involved in inflammation of the tissues through out the body, including pain and allergic reactions.
4. The feel good food:
There is something about chocolates that goes beyond the realms of hunger pangs and satisfying the sweet tooth. May be its the mouth feel or the emotional connectivity to it that draws us closer to a bar of chocolate every time we feel the blues. Or, in need to make a rosy picture a shade better. And the reason behind, says nutritionist, is phenylethylamine, which increases the levels of neurotransmitters associated with the sensations of pleasure and stimulates the same feel-good receptors ass falling in love. Probably thats explains why chocolates and Valentines are such an inseparable phenomenon.
The instant energy bar: Chocolate are known to be instant glucose boosters that make you feel energized within minutes. Combine it with a few nuts, fruits, bran or yogurt (dahi) and youve got yourself the calorie perfect energy bar to revive you from the post workout fatigue or listlessness.
Does that signal that you are free to load your cart with Kit-Kats and Perks. You know better than that. A small bar of chocolate (thats the semi-sweet dark variety we are talking about) has 140 to 150 calories and 8 to 10 gms of fat. Add dry fruits, cream and milk and you take yup the fat content by s few more grams and add 20 calories extra. Go free and you are likely to add inches to your waist than years to your life.
But easier said than done. So heres a trick: Have a small square (thats one square of your Cadbury bar) of dark chocolate slowly and mindfully. Savour it and stick to a healthy eating plan. And if you really need to have a treat, work out an hour extra.
The best plan: Just dont look at chocolate as a health food or use it as a stand-in for fruits or veggies. Remember it as a treat indulged in once a while.
