Health benefits of cocoa

There is a significant enthusiasm concerning the health benefits of cocoa powder and dark chocolate because everyone enjoys the wonderful, sweet taste of chocolate. It is great news that something can be healthy and good tasting at the same time, but that does not necessarily mean that one should ingest large amounts of cocoa and chocolate just because they provide certain health benefits.

Cocoa is very rich in falconoid and that is what makes it so beneficial. Flavonoids are plant pigments that have certain antioxidant properties and they reduce the damage in the human body which can lead to various serious conditions like heart disease and cancer. Cocoa powder also lowers the blood pressure and improves the blood flow in the human body. It is interesting that a cup of cocoa contains three times more antioxidants than a cup of tea. One should always carefully balance the quantities of cocoa included in the daily diet because it can have potential drawbacks when ingested excessively.

Chocolate positively affects the mood because it contains phenyl ethylamine which has certain properties similar to those of amphetamine substances. People who are often depressed may find this useful, but those who often suffer from anxiety and panic attacks should maybe avoid ingesting it excess amounts. Phenyl ethylamine also develops anaddiction.

Unlike dark chocolate, the common, commercial chocolate contains sugar which can affect the levels of insulin in the human body. Dark chocolate should be chosen instead of milk chocolate since milk can negate certain health benefits of cocoa. Another option is to ingest cocoa by making a beverage from its powder, but that also has its harmful effects, because very often processed cocoa powder contains undesirable substances like milk products, high fructose corn syrup and various hydrogenated oils. Cocoa powder can also contain acryl amides which may potentially lead to certain types of cancer. Cocoa and chocolate contain xanthenes as well and that’s why they shouldn’t be given to pets.

Another downside to chocolate is that it contains lots of calories. Cocoa should always be consumed in the purest possible formulation which contains the lowest possible amount of calories. It can also be alternated with other types of food that also have antioxidant properties. Those include red wine and green tea. If chosen wisely, both cocoa and chocolate can be a very beneficial addition to everyone’s dailydiet.

It is important to always consume them in their purest form in order to avoid excess amounts of calories and one should never ingest too much of either of them.