- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
10 Mind-Blowing Reasons To Eat Dark Chocolate Every Single Day
4. Astounding Source Of Antioxidants
Dark chocolate is a virtual treasure chest of organic compounds that work as antioxidants in the body, including flavonols, polyphenols, and catechins — just to name a few. In fact, one study found that dark chocolate had more antioxidant activity than any fruit tested, including Acai berries or even blueberries. Of course, chocolate is a poor substitute for fresh fruit, but when added to a healthy diet, this food has antioxidant power, which will only enhance your healthy diet.
5. Healthy Fat Treat
Dark chocolate contains some sugar, but not nearly as much as milk chocolate. The fatty acid profile of this delicious type of chocolate is excellent! It contains mostly monounsaturated, saturated and a very small amount of polyunsaturated fat. Although it can’t compare to butter or an avocado, but it sure beats the heck out of a trans-fat filled cupcake for an after-dinner snack.
6. Improves Circulation And Lowers Blood Pressure
There have been numerous studies showing that dark chocolate improves blood circulation and lowers blood pressure. Although its effect on lowering blood pressure is small, it certainly beats any increase in blood pressure! So although eating dark chocolate will probably not be enough to get you off your hypertension medication, it’s nice to know that you can enjoy something sweet and not worry about it increasing your blood pressure.
7. Sun Protection
Dark chocolate contains bioactive compounds that can protect you from sun damage, increase your skin density, protect your skin from becoming dehydrated, and improve blood flow to the skin. One study found that subjects who consumed dark chocolate over a period of 12 weeks had much lower levels of sun-induced skin damage than those who did not indulge. If you are planning on any type of vacation that includes time in the sun, you would be wise to start adding dark chocolate to your diet a few months before you hit the beach.
Continue to Page 3
