The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique ~ 5 Top Boosting Effects

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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique
5 Top Boosting Effects

So what are the benefits of dark chocolate for your health and physique? Why is dark chocolate so good now when it has been demonized for quite some time by dieters and fitness buffs. For many years, people have associated chocolate with high-fat, high-sugar, empty calories and believe that it has no place in a healthy diet.
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However, recent research and evidence has completely disproved these ideas.
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Not only has chocolate proven itself to not be destructive to your health – it provides a bunch of health benefits!
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But let’s make one thing clear, we’re talking about dark chocolate here, not processed milk chocolate or other varieties that are high in fat and sugar. Excellent quality dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that can have a positive impact on anyone’s physical and mental health.
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Today, we’re going to look primarily at the physical benefits that good, organic dark chocolate can provide for you.
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To reap the effects of these benefits, you’re going to want to look for bittersweet chocolate, which is typically in the range of at least 60% cocoa content.
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The best way to get these benefits would be to just eat raw, unsweetened cocoa nibs – they might not be the tastiest treat, but the amazing benefits they can provide certainly make it worthwhile.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique #1
Chocolate Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

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One of the most important benefits that consuming a chocolate can provide is a positive effect on regulating blood pressure.
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If you suffer from hypertension, you will be interested to know that chocolate can be a more cost-efficient way to lower your blood pressure when compared to traditional medications.
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And if you are a man then you will also be delighted to discover that dark chocolate is a natural pde5 inhibitors that can improve circulation and help erectile dysfunction.
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A study completed at Harvard on over a thousand-people concluded that dark chocolate is effective at lowering blood pressure. All members of the study who consumed dark chocolate were marked for showing a reduction in blood pressure.
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People who already suffer from high blood pressure will see great benefits from eating chocolate. This is good, because it means that dark chocolate won’t cause blood pressure problems in people with normal or slightly below average blood pressure.
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Studies have also proven that chocolate has more antioxidants than fruit, vegetables, and certain kinds of tea, when compared side by side. It is known for having one of the highest densities of antioxidants and phytonutrients in the world.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique #2
Chocolate Can Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
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Small clinical trials have indicated for quite some time that the regular intake of pure cocoa can have a positive effect in preventing and eliminating cardiac problems.
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One of the newest studies on the effects of cocoa for cardio health was finished in ‘06 and confirmed these results with a large study group.
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The study tested 470 men, who were each observed while consuming different amounts of cocoa every day. The test results showed that cocoa has a significant impact on cardiovascular health by reducing the chance of developing the disease.
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The study also confirmed that it was poly-phenolic substances that can be found in cocoa that produced these results.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique #3
Chocolate Can Affect Your Cholesterol Levels

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If you’ve ever heard of atherogenesis, then you probably know how debilitating of a condition it can be. Atherogenesis is a degenerative disease in the arteries that can be caused by the oxidization of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind of cholesterol.)
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How does this relate to chocolate?
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Chocolate prevents the oxidization of LDL cholesterol. Not only that, chocolate can increase the amount of HDL cholesterol available to your body….
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…..HDL cholesterol is the good, high-density kind of cholesterol that patrols your blood to sweep up potentially dangerous LDL cholesterol.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique #4
Chocolate Can Help Control Your Cough

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One of the most interesting aspects of dark chocolate is its ability to fight coughs. One of the active constituents of a cocoa, known as theobromine, is an antagonist of the vagus nerve.
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The vagus nerve is an important part of your brain, but when it’s activated, it can cause serious fits of coughing.
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Studies done on chocolate suggest that it is more potent at reducing coughs than some over-the-counter medicines.
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Chocolate even tested better than the medications containing codeine, which is a low strength opiate narcotic.
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The study was done by exposing subjects to capsaicin, the chemical present in the hot chili peppers that is responsible for causing a burning sensation.
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After being exposed to theobromine, subjects were tested to see how much capsaicin was required to induce a serious coughing fit.
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The group that was taking theobromine had to take significantly more capsaicin to encourage a coughing fit. Scientists are considering trying to make a medicine that uses theobromine as the main active component.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique #5
Chocolate Can Help Protect Your Skin and Keep It Healthy

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Chocolate has been proven to prevent the damage from ultraviolet rays from affecting your skin. Ultraviolet rays are the light rays that are emitted from the sun, and while they are responsible for helping our bodies produce vitamin D, overexposure can lead to skin damage and cancer.
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Straight cocoa beans are noted for having the most significant effect on reducing sun rays damage, but any chocolate product that’s significantly high in cocoa will provide these benefits.
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Studies tested the minimal erythema dose in subjects, which is a measurement for the amount of sunlight required before negative effects start to appear in the skin.
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Patients who had been consuming cocoa rich with antioxidants for a couple weeks had significantly higher MED levels and were much less susceptible to damage.
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The study group that didn’t consume any chocolate were not observed to have any changes in the way that their skin reacted to sunlight.
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In conclusion

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Chocolate is no longer demonized in the way that it once was. It is now widely acknowledged that dark chocolate is actually able to provide the body with a lot of health benefits.
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Consuming high quality, cocoa rich chocolate, or raw cocoa beans or cocoa nibs is the best way for somebody to receive these benefits of chocolate.
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While processed chocolate isn’t going to give you the same benefits, you still might get some of them. Your best bet, however, is to actively seek out cocoa-rich dark chocolate.
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The Benefits of Dark Chocolate for Your Health and Physique go way beyond what has been discussed here. So go eat dark chocolate now!
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Article by Sean Ward
Founder of Naturally Boost Testosterone, a men’s health blog dedicated to providing natural ways for men to boost hormone levels. Check out www.naturally-boost-testosterone.com Twitter, Pinterest Facebook

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