Heart Healthy Chocolate Contains Beneficial Antioxidants

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Heart Healthy Chocolate Contains Beneficial Antioxidants

Thursday, August 28th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most people would agree that the flavour of chocolate is sensational, however, new studies shows certain types may be heart-healthy, as well. Research undertaken in prominent scientific journals state that dark chocolate is infact a healthy chocolate. Dark chocolate — not white chocolate or milk chocolate — is good for you.

When healthy and high-quality natural ingredients are used, it is possible to make a truly “healthy chocolate” from naturally-grown, unprocessed, unroasted, raw cocoa/cacao beans that has little loss of the natural nutrients and lots of antioxidants.

Many of the health benefits contained in dark colored vegetables can be found in chocolate, because it is derived from plants. Healthy attributes include antioxidants (known for possible risk reduction for cancer and heart disease) and minerals, i.e. copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and calcium.

A true “healthy chocoloate” can be found in cocoa beans that are raw and unprocessed or raw and unprocessed cocoa powder that is made from raw cacao beans. They must not have been treated with alkalis, as with the Dutch chocolate process. The greatest antioxidant concentration of all natural foods is contained in raw cacao, with acai berries being the second greatest. The heart, brain and liver are protected by raw cacao.

Dark chocolate is beneficial to heart health by lowering blood pressure. Studies suggest that individuals with high blood pressure can reduce it by consuming a small quantity of dark chocolate every day. This benefit is from flavonoids, which are chemicals made from plants and which have rich antioxidant properties. Flavonoids offer many nutritional benefits.

Healthy chocolate also contains benefits apart from protecting your heart: it tastes good and stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure. It contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.

Epicatechin is a compound that can be found in raw cocoa, and has amazing health benefits which rival penicillin and anaesthesia in relation to general public health, reports Marina Murphy in the magazine Chemistry & Industry. A pharmaceutical product that could offer all the health benefits of raw unprocessed cocoa would likely be touted as a “miracle drug”.

When choosing a “healthy chocolate” there are a few things that you should keep in mind. The phrase “healthy chocolate” only relates to chocolate made from cocoa beans which have not been subjected to high heat by roasting, treated with alkalis or other chemicals, and contaminated with a variety of additives such as hydrogenated oils, animal fats like lard, corn syrup, refined sugar, dairy products, and chemical preservatives.Consuming healthy chocolate, with its very high ORAC value, can be an competent and pleasurable way to increase your daily dosage of antioxidants, decrease the negative effects of free radicals and guard your heart.