Dark chocolate
This is no encouragement for smoking, but according to a Swiss study daily intake of dark chocolate could slow down hardening of the arteries in smokers. Those men in the study group of 20 male smokers who ate white chocolate didn't have the same results. The dark chocolate also proved good for raising antioxidant levels, halved blood platelet activity, which in turn decreased the risk of blood clots.
Source: HealthDay News
The food of love
What's the connection between chocolate and love. Well, the comfort food contains PEA, a chemical thought to be very similar to chemicals released in the brain when people fall in love. It also contains magnesium, which by some estimates is deficient in over 75 per cent of all women. In addition, the sugar content of chocolate raises serotonin levels (the hormone associated with depression), making it a kind of natural Prozac.
Source: iVillage
It's good for you
Cocoa powder made from ground, defatted cocoa beans, contains compounds that have the potential to protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Cocoa beans contain substantial amounts of antioxidants (flavonols), dietary substances that mop up free radicals. Chocolate is a potent source of antioxidants; dark chocolate contains five times as many antioxidants as blueberries.
Ranking chocolate
Here's how a US Agriculture Department's analysis ranks chocolate products by antioxidant content :
1 .Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2. Unsweetened baking chocolate
3. Alkalinised or Dutch cocoa powder
4. Dark chocolate
5. The Rest of the Pack
6. Chocolate types
7. Hot chocolate
8. Chocolate nut biscotti
9. Chocolate sorbet
10. Chocolate strawberries
Source: Prevention
