Age proves to be of no hindrance to people with a weakness for delicious and fragrant chocolates. In fact, chocoholics are ready to consume this sweet food in any form, be it bars, chips, cookies, pastries, cakes, candies, sauce, or drinks. They carelessly discard the dire warnings that accompany frequent over consumption. However, there is some good news on the way. Eaten in limited quantities, the mysterious ‘dark’ chocolate is great for maintaining proper functioning of the human organs and organ systems.
- Avoid Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: If you have been used to chewing on milk chocolate bars always, discard them for mysterious ‘dark’ chocolate chunks instead. Researchers will assure you that this slightly bitter foodstuff contains anti-oxidants and a healthy amount of flavonoids. As a result, your blood pressure remains stable, your arteries and vein retain their flexibility in spite of advancing age, and the risk for heart failure reduces. Do remember to restrict yourself to a small square each day or a couple of servings each week; do not go overboard with your eating. Additionally, do not skip your daily walks or exercise routines.
- Prevent Diabetes: If you are insulin-resistant, just consume a piece of this delicious stuff (size of a candy bar) every day. With the release of excess nitric oxide, your insulin sensitivity may be controlled to a large extent.
- Lose Excess Weight: You will find it easier to adhere to your recommended diet, since this dark knight saves you from succumbing to excessive cravings for fatty, sweet, and salty foodstuffs. Smaller portions, five small meals a day and regular physical activity should suffice to give you a marvellous physique.
- Bid Goodbye to Stress: Your brain will be encouraged to secrete larger amounts of the happy hormone known as ‘serotonin’, instead of the stress-causing hormone known as ‘cortisol’. Yes, you will find yourself feeling more alive and energetic, instead of fatigued and depressed. Pregnant women consuming dark chocolate find themselves giving birth to happier children.
- Enhance Your Intelligence: Whenever you pop a piece of your favourite brand into your mouth, your circulatory system becomes very active. It allows a larger amount of blood to flow to the key areas of your brain. Even if it is for a short time only, your alertness and performance will remain above average, especially where tests are concerned. Nevertheless, do not stuff yourself to the maximum just because you wish to do well in exams; you will invite ill-health.
- Cure Your Child’s Diarrhoea or Cough: Dark chocolate contains cocoa. The flavonoids in the cocoa join hands with a special protein present in the small intestine, to stop diarrhoea. This protein is responsible for fluid secretion; it regains its functional balance. Similarly, if your child is prone to excess coughing, the theobromine in the chocolate brings these unpleasant coughing bouts to a halt.
Admittedly, any recipient of a chocolate hamper will welcome it with squeals of delight. After all, you are offering a combination of good health and sweetness.