Is chocolate really good for your health? There are those who say that this treasure in delicacy has many benefits whether for mental or physical health. We reveal all the details.
To hope to derive a health benefit from chocolate, at least 70% cocoa content
Both young and old love chocolate. Moreover, during the Easter celebrations, everyone can overindulge. Moreover, this delicacy has an ambiguous reputation. Indeed, it is good for morale. But is it also good for your health?
Chocolate is a fatty, sweet and very high calorie food. Theoretically, dark chocolate is made up of three ingredients, cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. Note also that this sweetness draws its virtues from cocoa.
Therefore, for it to be beneficial to health, it must have a high cocoa content. Concretely, it should be at least 70% free of added fats other than cocoa butter.
The benefits of chocolate
Moreover, it is advertised that chocolate is a healthy food when it is rich in cocoa. Indeed, cocoa contains flavonols, which provide its bitter taste. Moreover, their role is to make the blood vessels more flexible and elastic.
In other words, eating chocolate may be beneficial because it helps reduce blood pressure and the risk of myocardial infarction.
In addition, this sweetness contains endorphins. So, consuming it is therefore good for morale. It also has an effect on mood.
Chocolate is a food that promotes concentration thanks to its theanine content. It is an amino acid known for its role in relaxation and attention. Then, the flavonols, present in cocoa, increase the flow of blood in the brain and accentuate the capacities of memorization.
Is chocolate really good for your health? What do the studies say?
According to studies, to have a beneficial effect, you should eat chocolate at least 200 mg of flavanols per day, i.e. a tablet of 100 g. Therefore, it does not correspond at all to the advice to consume only two or three squares daily.
In short, we are far from asserting that eating chocolate can protect once morest cardiovascular disease or make you happier. However, there is no reason to deprive yourself of it even on a daily basis, but it must be rich in cocoa and without added fats.
