Beauty and Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Is dark chocolate good for you? Yes, dark chocolate that contains about 70 percent cocoa will do wonders for your health, leaving you glowing inside and out.

Millions of women and men worldwide have already discovered a better way to live – by snacking on grams and grams of dark chocolate weakly. The cocoa in dark chocolate packs a ton of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals, which makes it a goddamn superfood for improved health, beauty, brain functioning, weight loss, sex life, and love.

Here’s the breakdown of dark chocolates nutritional information

According to the U.S Department of agriculture, dark chocolate is loaded with about 70% cocoa solids. A 101-gram bar of dark chocolate provides:

• 87 grams of proteins
• 604 calories
• 36 grams of carbohydrates
• 06 grams of fats
• 00g rich in dietary fibers
• 23 grams of sugar
• 02 milligrams of iron
• 00 milligrams of magnesium
• 34 milligrams of zinc

The benefits of easting dark chocolate regularly include:

Improves one’s skin

Rich in phytochemicals, Vitamins (A, C, D, E, and B1) plus calcium, iron, manganese, and amino acids, dark chocolate is good for your skin in the following ways:

1. Prevents aging

Dark chocolate packs potent antioxidants such as flavanols, catechins, polyphenols, etc. that fight free radicals that would otherwise damage your tissues leading to early onset of wrinkles.

Dark chocolate also has chemicals that stimulate the brain to release “happy hormones,” keeping stress at bay, thereby preventing the breakdown of collagen. Collagen is the protein responsible for keeping the skin elastic.

Therefore, by snacking on the slightly bitter variety of chocolate instead of the milk and sugar-laden white chocolate, you ensure that your skin retains its youthful glow thanks to those cacao solids in the dark chocolate.

2. Boost skin moisture

The next time people tell you that chocolate is junk, please inform them not all chocolates are created equal. Educate them that you are eating your way towards a smooth, problem-free skin tone, among other psychological and physiological benefits of cocoa.

Dark chocolate helps keep the skin nourished. It contains vitamins and minerals plus L-arginine, which promotes blood circulation keeping skin cells nourished and detoxified. Dark chocolate also has an excellent fatty acid profile of mostly monosaturated and saturated fats, which helps keep the skin nourished from the inside.

3. Protect from sun damage

Dark chocolate is a sun-safe food. According to a study carried out in London, two groups of people were treated to different chocolate varieties to determine which chocolate protects from sun damage. One group was treated to flavanols-rich dark chocolate and the other to low-flavanol milk chocolates. After 12 weeks, the skin of participants from both groups was tested with UV light.

The finding was that flavanols in dark chocolate did not only make subjects happy, but their protection from UV light had doubled compared to the group that was treated to low-flavanols chocolate. The explanation lies in the improved micro-circulation in the skin itself avails the oxygenation needed by the skin for protection. Polyphenols in the dark chocolate, too, have suppressing effects against photoaging, radiation and carcinogenic activities of UV rays.

4. Helps with diabetes type II

Studies show that cocoa improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin. So, snacking on dark chocolate, with some restraint, of course, might delay or even prevent diabetes. Of course, diabetes affects the skin too. Skin problems are often the earliest visible sign of diabetes.

Diabetes type II is associated with poor blood circulation, reducing nutrients supply to the skin. And because skin cells are not replenished with oxygenation needed for self-rejuvenation, diabetes type II is accompanied by skin problems such as the breakdown of collagen, changes in skin texture, slow-healing wounds, etc.

Therefore, eat dark chocolate regularly to supply the body with L-arginine, which improves blood flow and promotes the healing of wounds leading to better-looking skin even with diabetes.

Protects against blood inflammation

Dark chocolate has substances that work against blood inflammation-inducing proteins. Inflammation, of course, is the body’s natural reaction against germs and other harmful elements. But if it gets chronic, inflammation can wreak havoc on one’s health by damaging tissues and cells.

Chronic inflammation increases the risk of health conditions such as arthritis, type ii diabetes, and some forms of cancer. By fighting against inflammation, dark chocolate helps protect against skin scarring and other conditions caused by an overreactive immune system.

Enhances one’s sex life

Do you want to spice up your bedroom life? Chocolate is for lovers. It looks sexy on its on when packed in a red heart-shaped box, and when you consume it, you are surely going to feel sexier too. And there’s a biological reason for the sensual feelings you get after snacking on some dark chocolate. It contains substances that, when in the body, bring about physiological and psychological outcomes desirable for great sex life. Here’s how dark chocolate acts as an aphrodisiac in the bedroom:

1. Promotes the flow of blood to sexual organs

Dark chocolate is made from cocoa contains L-arginine, which is a vital amino acid needed by the body for proper functioning. The L-arginine improves blood circulation by releasing nitric oxide in the blood. Nitric oxide assists in widening blood vessels, thereby helping with various blood circulatory problems.

Dark chocolate can, therefore, improve your sexual desire, sensation, and satisfaction by promoting the flow of blood to your sexual organs and, in turn, help with issues such as erectile dysfunction.

2. Elevates the mood

Eating dark chocolate supplies the body with the “romance chemical” phenylethylamine (PEA), which induces sensations of euphoria. PEA is a “romance chemical” because it’s naturally released by the brain when you are in love. But you can also get PEA by snacking on dark chocolate. PEA induces feelings of euphoria by promoting the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a “happy hormone.”

3. Boosts sexual energy

Theobromine is another chemical that makes dark chocolate an aphrodisiac. It acts on the central nervous system by stimulating the production of endorphins and serotonin, making a person feel excited and stimulated. Theobromine is also found in tea and kola nuts, but getting it from chocolate is muy sexier!

Improves cardiovascular health

Dark chocolate is great for the broken heart (both metaphorically and literally). The chemicals in cocoa stimulate and induce feelings of wellness, happiness, and euphoria while promoting healthy blood circulation, reducing blood pressure and insulin, thereby improving heart health. So, eat dark chocolates regularly for the following cardiovascular benefits:

1. Decrease the risk of stroke

A Swedish study revealed that women who snacked on at least 45 grams of chocolate weekly were 20 percent less likely to experience a stroke. The explanation, of course, lies in the flavonoids again. These metabolites prevent platelet aggregation, which would otherwise contribute to blood clot formation and stroke.

2. Increases the amount of HDL and prevents the oxidation of LDL

HDL is a high-density lipoprotein that transports cholesterol to the liver for expulsion from the body; LDL is a low-density lipoprotein – a bad form of cholesterol that reacts with oxygen increasing the risk of blood clots and stroke

By increasing the “good cholesterol” and preventing the formation of oxidized LDL, the antioxidants in dark chocolate protect against the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries, which is a risk factor for heart diseases.

Promotes weight loss

Snacking on dark chocolate regularly is going to show on your waistline soon. Studies show that dark chocolate can be used as a trigger just before a meal to send signals to the brain that one’s stomach is already “full” leading to reduced appetite. This is possible because of the high amount of dietary fibers in dark chocolate that induce the feeling of satiety.

Dark chocolate can also be used to discourage snacking. Snacking, especially on munchies, is a bad dietary habit that may lead to overweight problems. Just follow the same method used to reduce appetite – melt a small square of dark chocolate on your tongue after a meal to discourage subsequent snacking.

Also, by inducing the “feel good” emotions, dark chocolate puts you in the right state of mind to carry out physical exercise routines and shed off the excess body weight.

Reduce the risk of various types of cancer

The cocoa in dark chocolate contains pentameric procyanidin (just call it pentamer). In the body pentamer interferes with the activity of cancer cells, keeping them from spreading.

In a 2005 study conducted by the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, cancer cells were treated with pentamer, and the revelation was that pentamer suppressed proteins necessary for the growth of the cancer cells. Snacking on dark chocolate can, therefore, reduce the risk of various types of cancer.

Dark chocolate is cough-quelling

Dark chocolate may be the most delicious way to fight coughs yet. The theobromine in dark chocolate is not only an aphrodisiac. It also reduces the activity, vagus nerve, the brain part known to trigger coughing fits.

Even now, scientists are attempting to produce a cough-suppressing drug that contains theobromine instead of the narcotic codeine.

Dark chocolate improves life expectancy

Eliminating biblical methuselahs, Jeanne Louise Calment is the oldest human whose age was nicely documented. Her lifespan of 122 years attracted media attention. She ate 2.5 pounds of dark chocolate every week. And according to Harvard researchers, this was the reason for her long lifespan. The researchers say eating dark chocolate regularly increases one’s life expectancy by two years.

So, here’s to living long guys! So, swap your favorite processed fat and sugar-rich milk and white chocolate for the high-quality dark chocolate variety. The smorgasbord of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in flavanol-rich chocolate make you glow on the inside and out, which is the secrete to long life. The heavily-processed chocolates, on the other hand, have lost plenty of healthy chemicals and will only fill you with sugars and fats.

Dark chocolate is good for the brain

Dark chocolate has substances that improve one’s moods. They also promote blood circulation nourishing the brain parts and supply antioxidant that fight against stress-inducing free radicals which would otherwise encourage deterioration of brain cells and onset of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. As a brain food, dark chocolate improves the following:

1. Better memory and reduced stress

A John Hopkins study also found out that epicatechin in dark chocolate shields the brain from the effects of stroke as well as improving memory. And these brain-boosting substances could be the reason why a British study found out that after downing a cup of hot chocolate, subjects could comfortably count backward from any number between 800 – 999.

2. Dark chocolate is good for brain healing

There’s a link between flavanols and neuroplasticity. Results from a 2018 research shows that a high intake of dark chocolate promotes neuroplasticity, giving the brain the ability to reorganize and heal itself after injury and disease.

Are there any risks to dark chocolate consumption?

The afore-listed nutritional information quantity is of 100g of dark chocolate. Of course, this is a relatively large amount of chocolate to consume in a day. Remember, while dark chocolate packs a mountain of health benefits, these only come from the flavanols-rich cocoa. And cocoa only makes about 70 percent of dark chocolate content; the other part is filled with sugars and fats, which makes dark chocolate a very calorie-dense food.

Dark chocolate should, therefore, be consumed in moderation. Most studies use between 20 to 30 grams of dark chocolate. Also, when shopping for dark chocolate, look for one with above 70 percent of cocoa solids because this means more flavanols!

Ta-dah, there you go: ladies and gentlemen, a healthy body both on the inside and outside is a measure of its care, and dark chocolate may the most delicious way to do so yet. Dark chocolate may be slightly bitter, but it’s beauty and health advantages greatly surpass those of the more preferable sweeter chocolate varieties. The cocoa in dark chocolate is beneficial in many ways, from improving brain function, heart health, to reducing the risk of various forms of cancer, developing glowing skin, and production of sex hormones. Who knew?