It is made of cacao seeds . One of the best source of antioxidants , improves health and lowers the risk of heart disease.
Nutritious
Good quality dark chocolate is full of nutrition .
Containing a decent amount of soluble fibre .
High in iron , copper , magnesium , copper and manganese , zinc , potassium , phosphorus and selenium .
Good fats
The fatty acid profile of cocoa and dark chocolate is also excellent . It contains oleic acid , stearic acid and palmitic acid . Each acid has various benefits like
- Oleic acid : heart healthy fat
- Stearic acid : neutral effect on body cholesterol
- Palmitic acid : maintains healthy cholesterol levels.
Raises HDL
Consuming dark chocolate improves risk factors for heart disease . In a small study, eating dark chocolate supplemented with the flavanol lycopene was found to significantly decrease levels of total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides .
Dark chocolate improves insulin sensitivity , lowers LDL (bad cholesterol ) and raises HDL (good cholesterol ) .
Reduce heart diseases
The compounds in the dark chocolates are very protective against the oxidation of LDL.
The chocolate also causes less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries resulting in a good blood flow and eliminating heart diseases.
Protection from Sun
The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin. Studies have shown that MED(minimal erythemal dose)can increase and even double after consuming high-flavanol dark chocolate or cocoa for 12 weeks (16). The result is that your skin has better protection from the sun .
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Malvika Tiwari, |
