Chocolates in moderation are good for health. They contain cocoa which is storehouse of thousands of good chemicals which benefit our health. It contains organic chemicals called poly-phenols. These chemicals have been proven to reduces the bad LDL Cholesterol and boosts HDL Cholesterol. This is good for our heart and arteries.
A chocolate bar and melted chocolate. Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, which is a natural source of theobromine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The benefits of these poly-phenols do not stop here. They are very active compounds and catch the free radicals which are very harmful to our body. Free radicals are atoms, compounds which have free unpaired electrons on them and are very reactive and can oxidize many useful compounds in the body and cause diseases like cancer, Alzheimer and other deadly diseases. These phenols render them ineffective and harmless.
Similarly chocolates contain a chemical called “Anadamide” which boost the mood and removes the gloominess. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word “Ananda” which means bliss.
Chocolate acts as a stimulant. It contains two compounds namely Caffeine and Theobromine whicha re stimulants. They also contain poly-phenols class called Catechins. These compounds help in reducing the risk of stroke in humans.
It contains Cortisol a chemical which boost the morale and reduces the stress levels. 1.5 ounces per day for two weeks have been found to do the trick.
But chocolates have a downside to health. They contain a lot of sugar which is bad for health. And also there are many other foods which contain many of these useful compounds but so many of these are collectively found in cocoa. So in moderation chocolates are good for health.
