This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Give Your Valentine the Gift of Health - CHOCOLATE!!!

That is correct!  The confection known as chocolate, made by roasting and grinding the cacao plant into cocoa, is quickly becoming the new darling among nutritionists for its growing body of health benefit evidence. Here are just a few of the findings of recent research:

·         In the cardiovascular system it lowers blood pressure  and improves good cholesterol levels

·         In the brain it enhances mood by stimulating the production of endorphins and in some people can act as a stimulant improving alertness and mental acuity (a result of theobromine, which has caffeine-like effects)

Find out what's happening in Scarsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

·         In the nervous system it can be protective against nerve damage

·         And believe it or not, it may help protect against sun damage and aging!

Find out what's happening in Scarsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

And so, what’s the catch? Well chocolate is one of those substances which find itself on the “Goldilocks Curve”. In other words, consume too little chocolate (as if!) and an effective response will not be elicited, consume too much chocolate (easy) and the positive effects will be outweighed by the negative effects. The consensus seems to be one ounce of dark chocolate a day.

Not all chocolate is created equal, read the label for the best ingredients possible. Start with a minimum of 60-70% cacao-that is where the health benefits begin.  “Raw” cacao products are thought to impart greater health benefits than the roasted cacao chocolate product we are most familiar with.   However, the taste and texture may not be to your liking—try to taste before you buy!  And, of course, avoid products with partially or hydrogenated oils as the fat source.  

Sorry milk and white chocolate lovers but the research says the health benefits are limited to dark chocolate only! The milk in milk chocolate appears to bind to the antioxidants (resveratrol and epicatechin) in cacao rendering them null and void; and white chocolate isn’t from the cacao plant at all! So make sure that heart box of chocolates is full of the dark stuff!

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?