Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

 

What Is Chocolate and Why Is It Healthy?

• Chocolate is made from the fermented, roasted, and finely
  
  ground seeds of Theobroma cacao tree. The ground cacao is comprised of cacao butter (a natural oil) along with ground particles of the cacao seed. 70 percent ground cacao and 30 percent sugar is contained in a chocolate bar labeled with “70 %”.

• The ground cacao contains a potent mixture of phytochemicals with various medicinal properties. The primary phytochemicals in cacao are the polyphenols (mostly flavanols and proanthocyanidins) and the methylxanthines (mostly theobromine).

How to Get the Brain Benefits of Chocolate?

The key to benefiting from the brain and mood-boosting effects of chocolate is to: 

1) Choose either a good dark chocolate or cocoa powder

2) Consume moderate amounts regularly

Different cocoa products and chocolates can have greatly differing amounts of flavanols and methylxanthines depending on the manufacturing process and cocoa content.

Dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa—70 percent or more—has a lot of these beneficial phytochemicals. On the other hand, chocolate that contains little cocoa has much less therapeutic value.

The Benefits of Dark Chocolate

1) Eating dark chocolate can make you happy. 

• Dark chocolate increases the production of “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins.
• They also reduce pain and diminish the negative effects of stress.
• Chocolate is a top dietary source of tryptophan, an amino acid precursor to serotonin, the neurotransmitter of happiness and positive mood.
• Dark chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a compound called the “love drug” because it creates a brain buzz similar to being in love.

2) Dark chocolate improves blood flow to the brain.

• Compounds in dark chocolate boost memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain.
• The flavonoids in chocolate have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain in young and old alike.
• A study at Harvard Medical School found that drinking two cups of hot chocolate increased blood flow to the brain for 2-3 hours.
• Increased blood flow to the brain may help prevent mental decline in elders.

3) Dark chocolate protects the brain from free radical damage.

• Brain uses a lot of oxygen, about 20% of the body’s total
  
  intake. This makes it highly susceptible to free radical damage.
• Free radicals are unattached oxygen molecules that attack our cells much in the same way that oxygen attacks metal, causing it to rust.
• Wrinkles, age spots, and sun damage on our skin are visible signs of free radical damage.
• The same process is going on inside our brain.
• Cocoa powder contains more antioxidants. It protect brain cells by neutralizing free radical damage and preventing premature brain cell aging.

      4) Dark chocolate improves learning, memory, and focus.

• Cocoa’s flavonoids penetrate and accumulate in the brain
  
  regions involved in learning and memory, especially the hippocampus.
• Chocolate also contains some caffeine, a known brain booster that in low doses improves memory, mood, and concentration.
• The caffeine in a normal size serving of chocolate is relatively low. So most likely eating chocolate won’t make us wired or keep us up at night.

      5) Dark chocolate can help relieve stress.

• Magnesium is so good at helping us relax. 
  
• This essential mineral reduces stress by suppressing the release of the stress hormone cortisol. 
• Magnesium is largely missing from our diets but chocolate contains a substantial amount of it. 
• It’s largely believed we crave chocolate for its magnesium.
• Getting more magnesium from chocolate can improve memory, focus, mood, sleep, and resilience to stress.

      6) Eating dark chocolate can help control food cravings.

• Chocolate is the most widely craved food. 
  
• Dark chocolate is extremely satisfying so we’ll be happy eating much less.
• Eating a little dark chocolate has been shown to reduce cravings for junk food of all kinds (sweet, salty, and fatty).

• Consequently it can help us make healthy food choices, cut calories and lose weight.
• Interestingly, it seems that the sensory experience of eating dark chocolate is an important part of its ability to satisfy cravings.

References

By UHN STAFF. (FEB 14, 2018). https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/memory/2-chocolate-benefits-for-your-brain-improves-memory-and-mood/

Tracey Roizman. Dark Chocolate and the Human Brain. Retrieved from https://woman.thenest.com/dark-chocolate-human-brain-2934.html

Deane Alban. 9 Brain Boosting Benefits of Dark Chocolate. Retrieved from https://bebrainfit.com/brain-benefits-dark-chocolate/

Chocolate Facts. Factslide. Retrieved from https://www.factslides.com/s-Chocolate