Health Benefits of Chocolate

Health Benefits of Chocolate
Page content

Not that many of us need an excuse to eat chocolate, but there is now more research then ever that proves consuming chocolate is actually good for our health. The Journal of the American Medical Association has stated that dark chocolate can lower high blood pressure and is packed with natural antioxidants. The benefits seem to be regulated to dark chocolate only, as the rule of thought is that milk inhibits the human bodies absorption of the chocolate’s antioxidant properties. So, let’s take a closer look at various ways you can add dark chocolate to your diet and general health care routine.

If you are looking to dark chocolate for its ability to lower your blood pressure, you will have to consume a certain amount of it each day. Ingesting at least 100 grams of dark chocolate a day will begin to lower your systolic and diastolic numbers within the span of four weeks. Keep in mind though, that 100 grams of dark chocolate contains about four hundred and eighty calories that you’ll have to account for by eating less of something else in your diet or upping your workout routine to compensate for the added calories.

Balancing out the added calories is also something that you’ll have to do if your goal in eating dark chocolate is for the antioxidants. Cocoa phenols and epicatechin are the main components to dark chocolate’s power for fighting free radicals. The best way to introduce dark chocolate’s antioxidant benefits to your diet is through the following ways: natural cocoa powders, Dutch processed cocoa powders, unsweetened baking chocolates, semi-sweet chocolate baking chips and just a block of regular dark chocolate.

Hot Fudge Antioxidant Mask

Chocolate is also beneficial in skin care routines. Dark chocolate has been found to be a skin softener and has the ability to smooth wrinkles through its antioxidants properties.

The Chocolate Lotus carries a product called the AquaDessa Hot Fudge Antioxidant Facial Mask. The mask is said to use dark chocolate to infuse facial skin with antioxidants and heal the damage caused by the sun and other environmental free radicals.

* Please read this disclaimer regarding the information you have just read.