Chocolate can be a wonderful comfort … when you’re sad, when you’re happy and even when you just want to ‘Netflix and chill’! But, more than just a great comfort, chocolate (well, the cocoa in chocolate) also offers many health benefits. Also, if the ‘added sugar’ in a chocolate bar is removed, the benefits remain the same. The team from Canderel (who just happen to have 0% added sugar chocolate bars and slabs, available in different flavours) share 5 great health benefits.
- Heart health: A study conducted by the University of Aberdeen found that people who eat up to 100g of chocolate a day are 11% less likely to have a heart attack, a stroke or other cardiovascular problems. Flavonoids, a type of antioxidant found in chocolate, can help stimulate blood flow by getting rid of free radicals in the blood.
- Boost brain function: Chocolate is a natural source of magnesium, which is essential for brain health, and also includes caffeine. Both can help boost concentration and alertness. Hot cocoa, when drank daily, can also have the same affects.
- Slows the signs of ageing: An antioxidant in chocolate, epicatechin, has proved to be effective in protecting the brain against the build-up of proteins that hinder normal brain function and can cause dementia. Another antioxidant, polyphenols can also rid the body of free radicals which can cause age-related arthritis.
- Aids in digestion: The magnesium found in chocolate is good for the digestive system. It relaxes the large and small intestines, allowing food to move through the digestive system more easily. A study in 2011 showed that when cocoa is consumed daily it increases the stomach’s good bacteria.
- Mood boosting: Cocoa polyphenols in chocolate aid in boosting the moods of those who eat it. A study conducted at the University of Swinburne found that the participants in the study were both calmer and happier.
- Advertisement -
