health care england

All kinds of medical studies in the last few years have shown that dark chocolate can be good for your health. In a nutshell, dark chocolate has a high concentration of antioxidants, which protect the body and can actually repair certain kinds of regular cell damage. The studies attribute these antioxidants to lowered blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, and protection from heart disease, as well as possible protections from stroke and cancer, decreased complications in pregnant women, and delayed brain function decline with aging.

So dark chocolate is a wonder food, and we should all eat as much as possible, right? Not so fast. As with many foods that can be good for you, moderation is the key. There is a right way to get the most from your chocolate. Here it is:

 

1. The Darker the Chocolate, the Better

 

Dark chocolate has a much higher percentage of cocoa solids, which contain the beneficial antioxidants, than milk or white chocolate. Most dark products have the cocoa percentage labeled. So choose dark -- the higher the cocoa percentage, the better.

 

2. Eat Moderate Portions

 

Chocolate is a high-calorie food. Over indulge and your health benefits can be quickly outweighed by the health problems of weight gain. However, stick with small daily portions and you can still enjoy the health benefits.

 

3. Avoid the High Calorie Extras

 

It is the antioxidants in the cocoa solids that make this food healthy. All of the other ingredients, like sugar; and any extras, like nougat, caramel, marshmallow, etc., just add calories. To maximize the health benefits, stick with plain dark chocolate. Second best would be products which add only nuts or fruit.

 

4. Do Not Consume With Milk

 

For some reason, not yet scientifically understood, these health benefits are basically negated if the dark chocolate is consumed with milk. For many of us, this requirement might be the most difficult to follow, since milk tastes so good with chocolate. But, to get the first three steps to pay off, we must avoid drinking milk with our moderate daily portions.

 

We eat it because we really enjoy it! But by following these four easy steps we can maximize the health benefits and include dark chocolate as a regular part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Dean Mallory has a passion for dark chocolate, which he writes about at his web site: http://www.dark-chocolate-life.com