There is a new study that indicates that the cocoa in chocolate may be good for you. Randy Dotinga discusses in his article titled, "Is It Really True That Chocolate May Be Good For You?", about the many benefits that can be found in chocolate.
The cocoa found in chocolate contains flavanols, which is deemed the healthiest part of consuming chocolate. A study containing 1,131 participants measured the effects of flavanols versus placebos. The amount of flavanols that were consumed differed between 155 and 2,110 milligrams. The length of time the participants were in the study varied from two weeks to a full year. From this study and others, it has been found that people who eat items that contain cocoa had lower levels of triglycerides, inflammation and blood sugar. Cocoa flavanols may be beneficial due to their effects of decreasing inflammation. Researchers haven’t been able to decipher the exact impact eating chocolate may have on overall health and also have not stated how much chocolate people should consume. There is also more research that needs to be done that measures the long-term effects of eating chocolate.
As stated before, the exact level of chocolate consumption is up for debate, but when deciding which chocolate to eat, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate is typically best. Dark chocolate typically has the largest amount of flavanols, the highest levels of cocoa and contains less sugar. It is critical that the chocolate a consumer chooses has little sugar because if it has a large amount, it is likely to cancel any potential benefits from the cocoa. If you would like to receive the benefits of flavanols without consuming the extra sugar, cocoa supplements are available. You can try adding it to food items such as oatmeal, baked good, etc. To find out more ways to improve your health and wellness, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.
