Do you love Dark Chocolate with cacao content over 60 percent? Then here good news for you. We will tell you some amazing facts an benefits of this bitter-sweet Super Food. We will also recommend you about the healthy chocolate bars that dietitians eat.
The darker the chocolate, the better it is. Eat only less-processed chocolate that contains at least 65 percent cacao. Dark chocolates not only have high concentration of antioxidants than milk chocolate but it also contains low added sugar.
Interesting Facts
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Chocolates are made from parts of the cacao tree. In Latin it is known as ‘TheobramaCacao’ derived from the Greek words ‘theo’ which means God and ‘ brosi’ which means food.
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So, chocolates can be termed as ‘Food of the Gods’.
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Dark chocolate is made from raw cacao beans which are a rich source of Flavanols, sub-category of larger group Phytochemicals known as Flavanoids.
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Dark chocolates are rich in antioxidants, nutrients and prove positive for your health.
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They should be best consumed in moderation.
They are known to slower the digestion process.
Amazing Health Benefits
1. Rich in Nutrients
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A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains-
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11 grams of fiber
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67% of the RDI for iron
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58% of the RDI for magnesium
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89% of the RDI for copper
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98% of the RDI for manganese
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It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium
2. High in Antioxidants
2. High in Antioxidants
These antioxidants protect your skin from free radical damage. Thus, keeps your skin soft, supple and juvenile for long.
3. Reduces Cholesterol
Dark chocolate raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. Cocoa butter contains oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat. It the same fat found in heart-healthy olive oil.
Just one week of dark chocolate consumption was enough to improve lipid profiles and decrease platelet reactivity for both men and women.
4. Prevents Cancer
Presence of flavonoids in chocolate, particularly, epicatechin and quercetin are believed to be responsible for the cancer-fighting properties.
5. Anti-Diabetic
They improve glucose balance, insulin sensitivity and inflammation markers. Thus reduces blood sugar levels of our body and hence lowers the risk of diabetes.
6. Lowers Blood Pressure
High magnesium content in dark chocolates helps in lowering blood pressure. Consuming them increases nitric oxide level which is a naturally occurring substance in our body that acts on small receptors in our blood vessels and helps them dilate. Thereby, lowering overall blood pressure.
7. Promotes Weight Loss
Dark chocolate reduces cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. They have a very high satiety value which makes you feel full for a longer time and are packed with MUFA'S (monounsaturated fatty acids) that are known to boost your metabolism and burn fat.
8. Healthy Heart
Dark chocolate restores flexibility to the arteries and at the same time, prevents white blood cells from sticking to the walls of the blood vessels. The gut bacteria in your stomach ferments it into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart. Thus, its moderate intake lowers cardiovascular disease and stroke risk.
9. Mood Booster
Dark chocolate contains two saturated fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acids which boosts your mood and makes you happy. They stimulate the neural activity in the regions of the brain related with pleasure and reward.
10. Prevents Neurological Disease
The flavanols in dark chocolate not only improves blood flow to the brain but also improves blood flow to the retina as well. It also reduces neuro-inflammation which is responsible for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Thus, consuming dark chocolates reduces the risk of neurological disease and also improves vision.
Now we come to the healthy dark chocolates that even dietitians eat.
Healthy Dark Chocolate
1. Endorfin Foods Turkish coffee
2. Theo Organic Dark Chocolate 85%
3. Endangered Species dark chocolate with forest mint 72%
4. Pure 7 dark chocolate bar
5. Dark Salted Brown Butter Organic Chocolate Bar 70%
6. Divine chocolate 85% dark chocolate
7. Madécasse Toasted Coconut Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa
8. Chocolate Almonds and Sea Salt, 70% dark chocolate
