Skip to main content

Blog18: Bitter Sweet Treat: Dark Chocolates

CHOCOLATES...OMG!!
Whenever I think about chocolates my taste buds get active and my saliva starts rolling. I guess it’s the same with everyone of us. From the time we start understanding our taste buds, chocolate is the most common food we crave for and this craving continues even as we age.
People have different choices in chocolates such as milky, cadbury, liquor-filled chocolates, dark chocolate, candies, bars etc. But in all these Dark Chocolate is the most nutritious. In 100 grams bar, it contains 50-70% cocoa and 11 grams of fibre. It also has plenty of iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. However, one should consume it in moderation.
Dark chocolate no longer has to be the forbidden fruit! Next time you indulge yourself to a piece of creamy dark chocolate, don’t feel so guilty. Researchers have found that this bittersweet treat is a tool for good health!
 
 
The latest studies, find that dark chocolate may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, due to its rich concentration of flavonoids. These compounds are antioxidants, helping to rid our bodies of disease causing agents. The cocoa from the cacao bean, from which dark chocolate is made, contains these powerful substances. You might be surprised to hear that dark chocolate may contain more flavonoids than black tea, red wine, and even apples, in certain proportions!
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are compounds that act as antioxidants. Dark chocolate has the type of fat in chocolate may actually increase the good HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and will not increase the bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the blood.
  
Dark Chocolate is known to be high in mood-boosting chemicals and help reduce the symptoms of depression. As we talk about the taste buds when the taste buds are stimulated with pleasurable flavors, there are endorphins released in the brain. These endorphins are the feel-good compounds of the body. Chocolate contains chemicals that cause the brain to release compounds that trigger the ‘feeling of love’.
Unfortunately, white chocolate and milk chocolate do not provide the same health benefits. In addition, recent research indicates that the consumption of milk with dark chocolate may interfere with the absorption of the antioxidants. So when enjoying this tasty treat, eat it with a glass of water and save the milk for your cereal. It's also important to consume it with moderation.
  
While heart healthy, dark chocolate is also calorie dense; therefore, limit your daily intake. Instead of eating the entire Dark Chocolate Bar, treat yourself to two squares for a day well done! This way, you still get the healthy benefits while keeping your waistline slim and savoring the chocolate all week long!

 
Thank You!!

Comments

Popular Posts

Blog54: Know About PCOS/PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) ?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, more commonly known as PCOS/PCOD , is the most common cause of infertility among women in the world. But beyond posing problems to those hoping to get pregnant, PCOS also comes along with a number of unpleasant symptoms like acne or extra hair. Here’s what you need to know about PCOS, what symptoms to look for and what you can do if you think you might be affected. What is PCOS? While PCOS is extremely common, the cause of the syndrome remains unknown. It’s likely that a host of factors are collaborating to upend the normal balance of hormones in a woman’s body, which leads to changes in her period and unpleasant symptoms related to hormonal imbalance. PCOS is a syndrome or list of symptoms that often come together, rather than a single disease. In fact, many doctors think that the symptoms of PCOS are actually caused by several diseases that happen to occur together. For example, diabetes and obesity appear to contribute to the symptoms of PCOS

Blog89: Why should you start Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating is a practice that develops your awareness of eating habits and allows you to pause between your triggers and your actions. Most emotional eaters feel powerless over their food cravings. When the urge to eat hits, you feel an almost unbearable tension that demands to be fed, right now. Because you’ve tried to resist in the past and failed, you believe that your willpower just isn’t up to snuff. But the truth is that you have more power over your cravings than you think. Benefits of Mindful Eating There are a lot of benefits to eating mindfully. Studies have reported that eating mindfully can reduce physiological distress such as depression, anxiety, stress, and eating behaviors including binge eating.  Mindful eating has also resulted in weight loss in overweight and obese people.   1.  Mindful eating helps you distinguish between emotional and physical hunger. It also increases your awareness of food-related triggers and gives you the freedom to choose your re

Blog1: My First Blog

Hello Readers !!🌻 My name is Chitra Vishal Gupta and  I’m really excited to have the opportunity to write blogs for you.  Being a dietitian is a wonderful career. I love it. But I don't think it's quite what I expected it to be... Some things were harder than I expected and some things exceeded my expectations. As you all know blogging is the best way to express yourself.  So, here I am to talk about food, health, and nutrition. Hope you people love reading my blogs. Let's get started. Fooducate yourself and t rack what you eat & your activities to see your progress and achieve your goals.  Have a great time. Stay healthy.💪 Thank You.!! 🌻