A Daily Dose of Dark Chocolate- What the Doc's Ordered!

Chocoholics now have a justified reason to savour their favourite sweet, for a new study has found that eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day offers many health benefits.

If you’re a patron of dark chocolate, here’s another reason you should continue to be one – a new study has shown that a small portion of this gastronomical delight everyday lays a variety of health benefits at you service.

According to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, these benefits are derived from flavonoids in dark chocolate.

Macrobiotic Diet - Yin and Yang Food - Advantages - Disadvantages - Theories
Macrobiotics is an Oriental theory that lays down guidelines for promoting well-being and longevity through systematic diet consisting mainly of whole grains and beans.

Flavonoids are a naturally occurring antioxidant that are also found in teas, red wine and some fruits and vegetables.

The flavonoids in dark chocolate have been associated with a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

One recent study showed that 6 grams of dark chocolate a day, about one square, lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 2 points each.

Dark chocolate also may lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by about 5 points. While not a huge affect, it's sending that "bad" cholesterol in the right direction.

Also, flavonoids have a beneficial effect on how the lining of the blood vessels function.

Science Stacks Up for Flavonoids for Heart Health
A diet rich in flavonoids, compounds in fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea and chocolate, could slash the risk associated to cardiovascular disease, says a joint Norwegian-US study.

"We think a lot of bad things that happen to the cardiovascular system are because the lining of the vessels cracks and becomes inflamed, setting the stage for plaques to form and rupture," says Robert Sheeler, M.D., a family physician at Mayo Clinic.

To gain the health benefits, there's no need to eat a whole chocolate bar. After all, chocolate still contains calories and fat.

Dr. Sheeler says just one square a day, about 30 calories worth, will provide the health benefits.

Generally, to gain health benefits, Dr. Sheeler recommends chocolate that contains at least 60 percent cocoa. Milk chocolate typically has 15 percent to 25 percent cocoa.

Source-ANI
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