Dark, dark chocolate and health

Chocolate sweetening is usually one of those vices that should be avoided as much as possible. It is true that we like to indulge in this sweet treat, but as a general rule, chocolate is not the healthiest of foods, so it should not be on our menu very often. This is true for most of the sweet products on the shelves of the shopping malls, but if we know how to choose correctly, chocolate specialities can also be good for us.

The main ingredient

The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa mass, which in itself has many health benefits. Unfortunately, its taste is not similar to that of sweet chocolate products, but rather bitter. This is why most chocolate products contain various additives that enhance the bitterness of the cocoa - for example milk, sugar, butter, vanilla... As the ratio of basic ingredients and additives changes, so does the health effect. It is therefore better to go for dark chocolates, which retain the benefits of this ingredient through their high cocoa content. For dark chocolates with more than 70% cocoa, the health benefits are generally considered to outweigh any harmful effects of the additives, but this of course depends entirely on the individual product and its ingredients. One thing is certain - the raw cocoa mass contained in these products has health benefits.

Medicinal effects

The most well-known health benefits of dark chocolate have to do with the cardiovascular system. Due to the high flavonoid and antioxidant content of dark chocolate, it has a positive effect on the circulatory system - it helps to make blood vessels more flexible, which reduces the chances of heart attack, and it regulates blood pressure, with positive effects that have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of heart failure by a good third. Of course, we shouldn''t overdo it, as even dark chocolate products often have additives that are not so health-friendly. A bar a week is certainly not a bad choice.

Positive effects

A healthy heart is one of the main benefits of "health-giving" dark chocolate. But this is not the only positive effect of dark chocolate on the body. These include, for example, weight loss, which is not usually expected from chocolate. But dark chocolate is not as diluting as other chocolates, and it also reduces cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods, making dark chocolate products perfect for snacking when dieting. As if losing weight wasn''t already satisfying enough, the effects of dark chocolate can also be seen on a psychological level. Eating dark chocolate stimulates the happiness hormone, has a positive effect on current well-being and helps to relax overall. Thanks to its theobromine content, dark chocolate is even used to soothe coughs.

These effects of dark chocolate should not be used as an excuse to binge on sweets, but they should encourage the occasional consumption of dark chocolate. There is nothing wrong with indulging in sweet chocolate once in a while, especially if you choose one of the beneficial dark chocolate products!