If you were lucky enough to receive a decadently luscious dark chocolate egg then you need not feel as guilty as you may expect.
Unlike its milk and white companions, dark chocolate is oozing with nutrients that may pose health benefits, provided it is eaten in moderation of course.
Dark chocolate is made from the seed of the cocoa tree and is one of the best sources of antioxidants you can eat. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, decreasing the risk of disease and possibly slowing down the aging process.
The main antioxidants present in dark chocolate are flavanols and polyphenols. Cocoa flavanols have been associated with stimulating nitric acid (NO) production leading to vasodilation. Vasodilation means widening of blood vessels which helps to increase blood flow and decrease blood pressure. By lowering blood pressure, the risk of inflammation, heart attack and stroke are also significantly reduced.
Dark chocolate may also help raise "good cholesterol" and lower "bad cholesterol" and improve insulin resistance, which is important in lowering overall risk for heart disease.
Dark chocolate also contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine-just enough to give you a boost in the afternoon but not enough to keep you up all night. Theobromine also acts as a vasodilator. Along with the flavanols this has been linked to increased blood flow to the brain resulting in improved brain function. Who knew chocolate could make us smarter?!!?
The ideal daily portion of dark chocolate is approximately a 1-inch square of at least 70 per cent cocoa. The darker the chocolate is the less milk, sugar and other additives that are added and the more likely it is to help your ticker. The portion size is important to remember. One hundred grams of dark chocolate contains approximately 500 to 600 calories which certainly will outweigh any potential health benefits.
Dark chocolate is also considered high in fat and saturates. (Keep an eye out in a future edition on reading food labels.) For this reason, it is best to consider portion sizes for dark chocolate but it is also equally as important to enjoy it!!
