For those of us that enjoy chocolate, we tend to have a favourite, be it milk, white or dark however, the darker the chocolate the better it is for you, and here’s why…
Dark chocolate is generally considered better for you than other varieties because it contains a higher percentage of cocoa solids. Cocoa solids contain antioxidants called flavonoids, which research has associated with several health benefits, including:
- Improved heart health: Flavonoids can help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Better brain function: Studies suggest that the flavonoids in dark chocolate can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
- Reduced inflammation: Antioxidants help reduce inflammation in the body, which has been linked to several chronic health conditions.
By its nature, dark chocolate contains less sugar than the hyper-sweet stuff. Plus, we know sugar can increase inflammation in the body, be addictive, trigger bizarre insulin reactions, and contains nutritionally useless calories (oh, and it’s a nightmare for your oral hygiene too). But it’s important to remember that it still contains some sugar and fat so you should enjoy it in moderation! But what if you don’t enjoy it? That’s OK – you can get flavonoids from tea, fruit and vegetables. It’s not an essential part of your diet – after all if your ancestry is European, Australasian, African, Asian, or North American (anywhere but South America) your ancestors survived without it for tens of thousands of years!
We’re always to here to help in any way we can with your health goals, be they physical or dietary related, to contribute to your overall best state of being.
To book in please call us on 03 9762 9445 or click on the BOOK ONLINE button at the top of the page, we look forward to seeing you in the clinic soon.
References:
- Cashin-Garbutt, A. (2012, May 18). The Truth About Chocolate: Does it Really Contain Flavonoids? News Medical Life Sciences. [Online] Available at https://www.news-medical.net/news/20120518/The-truth-about-chocolate-does-it-really-contain-flavonoids.aspx#:~:text=Flavonoids%20are%20known%20to%20be%20found%20in%20fruits%2C,much%20catechin%2C%20a%20type%20of%20flavonoid%2C%20as%20tea. Accessed on 24/02/2023.
