Dark chocolate is good for your health

You''ve probably heard many times that dark chocolate is healthier than milk or white chocolate, and that you''re therefore better off with dark chocolate and leave the other two types of chocolate to one side. It is scientifically proven that dark chocolate contains certain substances that have a positive effect on the human body. However, these substances are lost in the production of milk or white chocolate, which means that these two chocolates really do not have as many positive effects on the body as dark or dark chocolate.

Flavonoids - the silent helpers in dark chocolate that keep you safe

Recent evidence from scientific research recommends that dark chocolate should be consumed daily in moderation, as this amount of chocolate is thought to prevent cardiovascular disease. Dark chocolate contains substances called flavonoids. Flavonoids are substances found in plants and play many roles in them.

Their most important role is certainly that they give colour to plants - they are pigments.

It is flavonoids that give flowers and fruits their red, blue and yellow colours, and, more rarely, leaves their colour. They also act as UV filters in the plant, protecting it from harmful UV rays that could damage it. In addition, they also act against microbes and insects in the plant, providing a source of defence against parasites.

Beneficial effects of dark chocolate on the body

But flavonoids are not only good for plants. These polyphenolic compounds also have beneficial effects on the human body. Certainly their most important effect is their antioxidant action, but they also help to protect the body against mutagenic and carcinogenic substances. In fact, it is not the flavonoids themselves that have a positive effect on the body, but these compounds only speed up certain metabolic pathways in the body. When the body consumes foods containing flavonoids, it recognises flavonoids as foreign substances and wants to get rid of them as quickly as possible. It therefore starts to excrete uric acid, and certain enzymes are activated to ensure that flavonoids are eliminated from the body. But it is this activated pathway that ensures that, in addition to the flavonoids themselves, other toxic and dangerous substances are also eliminated from the body. In addition to this pathway, flavonoids also activate mechanisms that help destroy cancer cells and inhibit the spread of tumours throughout the body. Studies have shown that only small amounts of flavonoids have such an effect, in fact they only stimulate the body to start producing protective factors. In larger amounts, however, flavonoids may contribute to additional risk and have the opposite effect to the one we want. Therefore, the recommendation that dark chocolate should be consumed in moderation and not in huge quantities proves to be appropriate here again. One or two bars of dark chocolate a day is more than enough.

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who had a diet full of flavonoids from chocolate had lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol than those in the control group. The test subjects were on a diet containing dark chocolate and cocoa powder. They consumed this in moderation every day and at the end of the study it was shown that the LDL levels of these subjects were significantly lower. This means that these people had a lower chance of LDL cholesterol forming plaques on the artery walls and therefore a lower chance of having a heart attack.

Further research with dark chocolate consumption has shown that dark chocolate has a beneficial effect on relaxing blood vessels and on blood clotting. This means that dark chocolate also has a positive effect in lowering blood pressure. In the case of high blood pressure, it is the narrowing of the peripheral blood vessels that causes the increase. If the blood vessels dilate, the blood pressure can drop to lower values, which again has a positive effect on the heart, as it relieves a lot of pressure on the heart.

No worries, reach for the dark chocolate!

As you can see, dark chocolate has many positive effects on the human body. But you should be aware of the fact that health is not the result of just one factor. Dark chocolate alone will not be enough to protect and maintain your health. It is important to change the habits in your life to minimise the number of negative influences on your body. But it is good to know that dark chocolate, in moderation of course, is also one of the factors that can help protect your health. So the next time you have a sweet craving, don''t feel guilty about reaching for dark chocolate or products containing it. Treat yourself to a rib or two and don''t worry, you''ve done something good for your body.