Considering Cutting Out Chocolate from Your Diet? Think Again
If you love chocolate but fear it might hinder your weight loss, find out why it might actually benefit you and if it can satisfy your cravings.
Every time I come across a new diet plan, I think of chocolate. It's one of the fears that makes me postpone every possible diet, as it's one of those sweets that's hard to live without. Over the years, numerous studies have been conducted on chocolate: is it healthy, or quite the opposite? Is it dangerous, or perhaps the reverse? There are several good reasons that might make you prefer chocolate over other snacks, and perhaps even reintroduce it into your menu if you have banished it in the battle against excess weight.
First of all, chocolate puts you in a good mood, and not just because of its sweetness. Research has found that dark chocolate contains natural ingredients that contribute to feelings of euphoria. Chocolate has components that balance the body and even contribute to feelings of calmness and delay stress sensations.
Chocolate contains antioxidants that help protect against the sun. Important, right?
Depressed? Tired? Dark chocolate contains magnesium, a mineral that helps reduce symptoms of these conditions.
Chocolate also balances heart activity, lowers bad cholesterol levels, reduces the chances of heart disease, and decreases the risk of stroke. A study conducted in Italy found that regular consumption of chocolate alters insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
Additionally, it contributes to a feeling of satiety due to its fiber-rich content. After all, the fuller you feel, the less you eat, right? An excellent diet.
Chocolate contains components that act like aspirin and help blood flow throughout the body, improving vision and cognition. It has the precise amount of caffeine needed for the body to wake up, so you can skip the consumption of various drinks.
Suffering from persistent coughs? Theobromine (an alkaloid from the cacao plant) found in chocolate reduces the activity of the brain part responsible for triggering relentless coughing fits. A few years ago, the BBC reported that scientists were trying to concoct a medicine containing theobromine to serve as an alternative to cough syrups, which aside from their unpleasant taste also carry various side effects.
