Chocolate lowers blood pressure, is healthy for the heart, and brings even more benefits. However, not all types of chocolate have beneficial properties. More popular types of chocolate have no positive effect on your health.
Dark chocolate has a positive effect on blood pressure. Studies were carried out, with participants receiving dark, milk or white chocolate daily. Dark chocolate contains important antioxidants called phenols. These natural compounds from cocoa beans increase nitric oxide levels, reduce platelet aggregation and inhibit the formation of LDL cholesterol. Cocoa can lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and increase insulin sensitivity. Unfortunately, milk chocolate and white chocolate contain few of these antioxidants and do not have the same effect.
White chocolate does not contain cocoa because it is made only from cocoa butter. The basic ingredient of white chocolate is the fat from cocoa beans. White chocolate also does not contain phenols. Most of the other chocolates we eat are made from processed cocoa. Cocoa beans are commonly treated with an alkaline solution to obtain a dark color and reduce the natural bitterness. This treatment reduces almost 90% of phenols and most of its healthy benefits. The second problem is that the milk contained in the milk chocolate prevents the absorption of phenols and thus eliminates any health benefits of chocolate.
The best chocolate for health is dark chocolate. It is also important to eat the least processed chocolate, because then it contains more healthy antioxidants. 100 g chocolate with a cocoa content of about 70% is the equivalent of 500 kcal. Adding chocolate to your daily diet, remember to reduce the amount of calories in other components of the diet. If you do not do it, then you will not avoid weight gain.
