Dark chocolate: A superfood

If you have dreamt of eating chocolate every day, now you have an excuse. A bite of dark chocolate a day could not only be good for your heart,but may also improve brain function, alleviate stress and lower the risk of diabetes. But milk and white chocolates do not count. Dark chocolate contains phytonutrients which act as antioxidants and may play a role in cancer prevention,heart health and weight loss. A bar with 70% cacao or higher is your best bet. Here are some of the benefits of this superfood-

1. May help prevent heart disease:

The flavonoids in it maintain heart health. These chemicals help produce nitric oxide which causes blood vessels to relax and blood pressure to lower.

2. May improve cognition,prevent memory loss:

It has shown to stimulate neural activity in areas of the brain associated with pleasure , decreasing stress and improving your mood. This is again due to the flavonoids present in dark chocolate.

3. Improves blood sugar:

Healthy amounts of dark chocolate rich in cacao could improve how the body metabolizes sugar. It improves your body’s sensitivity to insulin, decreasing the risk of diabetes.

4. May help with weight loss:

It helps control appetite which could help in weight loss. During digestion it behaves like a prebiotic , encouraging growth of good bacteria in the gut.

5. Helps in cancer prevention:

The antioxidants in dark chocolate protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals which are responsible for ageing and diseases. Epicatechin and quercetin,two flavonoids present in chocolate, are responsible for cancer-fighting properties.

6. Good for your skin:

It contains manganese,calcium,iron. Manganese supports the production of collagen which helps keep skin young. Calcium helps repair and renew skin.

So there you have it. This superfood should be included in your diet but a check must be kept on portion size because,as we know, too much of a good thing can be harmful.