Super Food: Dark Chocolate Fights Diseases Part 1

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” ~ Aristotle

Women have always known that when they eat chocolate, they feel better! Well now, several scientific studies over the years have clearly demonstrated that chocolate, and in particular, dark chocolate has real health benefits and eating it not only taste good but is good for you.

Recent clincial reseach has show that dark chocolate is high in antioxidants that help fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals are known to be root causes of many degenerative diseases such as: heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, and clogged blood vessels. These conditions have a cumulative serious negative consequences for our health as we get older. So whatever we can do to reverse these conditions enable us to live longer, enjoying an active, quality life-style.

Back in March 2007, trial investigators reported findings on a small clincal trial co-sponsored by Yale Prevention Reseach Center that: "In this sample of healthy adults, dark chocolate ingestion over a short period of time was shown to significantly improve (blood vessel) function," said Dr. Valentine Yanchou Njike of Yale Prevention Research Center, a co-investigator of the study.

    TRIAL RESULTS
   "During the six-week trial, 45 people were given 8    ounces (227 grams) of cocoa without sugar, cocoa    with sugar or a placebo each day. An upper arm    artery's ability to relax and expand to    accommodate increased blood flow — known as    flow mediated dilation (FMD) — was measured    using high-frequency ultrasound before and after    daily cocoa or placebo consumption.

Of the 39 subjects who completed the trial, FMD improved significantly in both cocoa groups —by 2.4 percent among those who had it without sugar and 1.5 percent among those who had it with sugar. It dropped 0.8 percent in the placebo group. (Source: Dark Chocolate Good for Blood Vessels)

The results, were presented at the annual American College of Cardiology scientific meeting in New Orleans, add to mounting evidence of the health benefits of dark chocolate.

THE TAKE-AWAY: Don't start wolfing down all the chocolate you can eat -- over-indulgence is neither good or healthy! Rather, continue to enjoy your chocolate treats in moderation, but switch to dark chocolate for the health benefits. Enjoy!