6 Guilt-Free Reasons to Love Chocolate
Most people I’ve met admit that they like… or even love themselves some chocolate. Everyone has their own favorites, but many also have a little guilt and stress around indulging.
You can ditch the guilt and truly enjoy it by learning more about the reasons why you should be including this miracle food in your life.
Chocolate has great effects on your body when you eat products made with good ingredients. You can even consume 25 - 50 grams of good chocolate every single day if you’d like (as long as you don’t eat it too late, since it contains caffeine).
According to Johns Hopkins, here are amazing health benefits you can gain from enjoying this tasty treat:
Reduces heart disease: The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of clotting and increase blood circulation to the heart, thus lowering the risks of stroke, coronary heart disease, and death from heart disease.
Balances the immune system: Flavonols prevent the immune system from going into overdrive and reduce oxidative stress, which is an imbalance caused by cells fighting against free radicals and a common cause of many diseases.
Combats diabetes: Epicatechin protects cells, makes them stronger and supports the processes that help the body to use insulin better, which might prevent or combat diabetes.
Improves brain function: Flavonols in dark chocolate have a positive impact on brain function, including better reaction time, visual-spatial awareness, and stronger memory. Though research is ongoing, one reason for this may be that flavonols increase blood flow to the brain.
Boosts athletic performance: The epicatechin in dark chocolate increases the production of nitric oxide in the blood, which supports circulation and reduces the amount of oxygen an athlete uses while engaged in moderately intense exercise. This allows the athlete to maintain workout intensity for longer.
Reduces stress: People who ate dark chocolate reported that they felt less stressed, and researchers confirmed that after eating dark chocolate, there were reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This may be related to dark chocolate’s effects on heart health since stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
🍫 Now that should help convince you to keep eating chocolate, guilt-free! As long as you’re eating products made with good quality ingredients and in moderation.
Speaking of which, click here for a yummy and healthy chocolate cake recipe your family will request time and again!
