There are many myths about dark chocolate. Someone said, ” You won’t sleep by playing it!” Someone said again, ” Chocolate is bad, eating it will destroy your teeth!” ” Eating dark chocolate is good or bad for health? Many people seek the answer to this question. Dark chocolate has some significant health benefits. Dark chocolate is particularly rich as a source of antioxidants. This ingredient has a positive impact on our heart, brain function, normal blood circulation and skin health. It’s hard to find people who don’t love chocolate, right? Speaking of, how healthy is chocolate? Which chocolate is better? There is a difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate! A lot of research has been done on this dark chocolate. It has great information. So let’s quickly find out whether eating dark chocolate is really good for health!
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Chocolates that contain 70 percent cocoa are called dark chocolates. How much cocoa a chocolate contains depends largely on the manufacturing process. Good quality dark chocolate contains significant amounts of cocoa, which contains essential minerals. Here is the difference with milk chocolate.
Dark chocolate with 70-80% cocoa content per 100g contains the daily requirement (according to Healthline) of –
- 11 grams of fiber
- 66% iron or iron
- 57% magnesium
- 85% manganese
Also contains significant amounts of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. However, consuming 100 grams of dark chocolate daily is excessive. It provides about 600 calories along with minerals and contains some sugar. So not too much, eating dark chocolate in moderation is beneficial for health .
Beneficial fatty acids
1) The fat found in cocoa is mainly oleic acid, which plays an important role in heart health by keeping cholesterol levels in check. These healthy fatty acids are also found in olive oil.
2) It also contains stearic acid which helps to keep our skin beautiful and soft.
3) Palmitic acid present in it keeps our body’s metabolism right. It plays an important role in damaged skin repair i.e. skin health.
Why should you eat dark chocolate?
Several studies have shown that dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants. It has a significant amount of polyphenols, flavanols. It has even been proven to contain more antioxidants than blueberries, acai berries, known to be antioxidant-rich fruits!
Health benefits
1) Flavanol helps in keeping the arteries of our heart active and keeps the blood pressure under control. Flavanols also play a role in controlling bad cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides.
2) Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which is known as the ‘love chemical’. Dark chocolate can be consumed regularly in moderation for a happy married life.
3) Polyphenol reduces the risk of heart disease, prevents the growth of cancer cells, improves memory, improves digestion.
4) Eating dark chocolate is good for the body, because the ingredients in it increase brain function. Also helps reduce dementia or forgetfulness in the elderly . Regular consumption of dark chocolate increases the ability to focus, various researches have found.
5) As many know, it works great in relieving depression. A substance called tryptophan present in chocolate plays an effective role in reducing stress. It increases dopamine in the brain to create a feeling of pleasure in the body and mind.
Does dark chocolate reduce sleep?
This is probably the most common myth about dark chocolate! The reason for this is that many people say that it contains caffeine, so it does not make you sleepy! But studies have shown that this amount of caffeine is so low that it is not responsible for insomnia in any way.
Generally, coffee beans contain 1400 mg of caffeine per 100 grams, while dark chocolate contains only 70 mg of caffeine per 100 grams. So it is not fair to compare it with caffeine present in coffee. Note that the healthy limit of caffeine in the daily diet is assumed to be 400 mg. Dark chocolate helps boost brain function temporarily due to its small amount of caffeine.
What happens if you eat too much?
50-60 grams of dark chocolate can be consumed daily to stay healthy and fit . Dark chocolate should not be consumed in excess as it is high in calories. If the calorie requirement is crossed by dark chocolate, it will have a negative effect on health by weight gain. So we all should control the amount of chocolate we eat keeping in mind our health and diet. Eating more can cause dehydration, insomnia, migraine , increased heart rate.
Chocolate lovers are happy to know that consuming dark chocolate in limited quantities will satisfy your chocolate cravings as well as keep your body and mind healthy. Isn’t that great? However, commercially produced milk chocolate contains milk and sugar. Sweetened or flavored cocoa butter, sugar and fat-rich processed chocolate are not good for the body. You must have caught the difference. We all know that nothing should be eaten in excess. Until today, stay well.