Dark chocolate: good or bad for the body?

Does chocolate bring only pleasure or also good? Some consider it a harmful product that can lead to fullness and caries. Let's try to figure this out.

In fact, it is impossible to say unequivocally that chocolate is useful or harmful. It all depends on the type of chocolate itself: dark (bitter) it, white or milk. Usually, when talking about the beneficial properties of this sweet treat, they mean dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate: benefits for the body

One of the benefits of dark chocolate is that it helps people with hypertension (hypertension). This is due to the fact that flavonols contained in cocoa beans expand blood vessels and thereby reduce high blood pressure in patients.

Dark chocolate, whose benefits are incredibly great, can also increase the level of good cholesterol in the body. Cocoa beans contain stearic acid, which prevents the increase in blood levels of bad cholesterol. The antioxidants that make up dark chocolate help the body protect itself from the harmful effects of free radicals - molecules that damage our body's cells and cause changes in DNA, lipids (fats) and proteins.

There is more and more evidence that antioxidants can help slow down or even prevent the development of certain types of cancer. If you want to protect yourself from the "plague of the XXI century" - buy quality bitter chocolate.

The benefit of dark chocolate lies in its ability to make you happy. It contains phenethylamine, which produces endorphins. In addition to this, chocolate increases the level of serotonin in the body - the hormone of happiness.

Calorie Dark Chocolate

Seeing bitter chocolate, whose photo is hanging on a billboard, you should not run to the store for this delicacy only to those who follow the figure. It must be remembered that this product is fatty and high-calorie. In one hundred grams of chocolate more than 500 kcal. Although it contains a high content of cocoa beans and much fewer additives - sugar (0.2%), butter, compared to white or milk chocolate, which contain up to 65% sugar. But it’s important to note that a small piece of healthy goodies will not harm the figure, but will make you happier.

The composition of dark chocolate

In accordance with GOST, only confectionery containing at least 55% cocoa beans and at least 33% cocoa butter can be called bitter chocolate. Cocoa butter substitutes (vegetable hard oils) are allowed, but their amount should not exceed 5% of the total cocoa products in chocolate. It also contains a small amount of sugar, lecithin and vanillin. Manufacturers should not add milk fats and milk to dark chocolate . After all, its benefit depends on the percentage of cocoa products in it: the higher it is, the better. If you buy, then only dark chocolate, the benefits of which have been proven by scientists. Just remember to carefully study its composition before purchasing. Eat chocolate and be healthy and happy, but know the measure.