Have Some More Chocolate!

Easter is upon us and as usual, we’re about to indulge in fistfuls of chocolate….so I thought I’d remove the guilt by telling you about some of the potential benefits! Extensive research has shown that the cocoa in chocolate can help: improve arterial blood flow and decrease blood pressure, improve glucose and fat metabolism, and improve vascular and platelet function. A 50% decrease in mortality, mostly due to decreased myocardial infarction, has been seen. The mechanisms underlying the effects are thought to be due to the activation of nitric oxide as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

What type of chocolate is best and how much should we have? It’s been recommended that we eat up to 25g/day of flavanol rich dark chocolate (85% cocoa content) for cardiovascular prevention. The belief is that, at this dose, the effects on weight gain and Cadium intake are minimal.

Enjoy…Happy Easter!