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There is great news for everyone who loves chocolate, dark chocolate in particular. Research has shown a small amount eaten on a daily basis is actually good for your heart! It is important to note, only dark chocolate has been shown to provide health benefits of any kind. Milk, semi-sweet, white or any other kind of chocolate may taste good, perhaps even better, but they do not provide any known benefits.

Chocolate is made from plants and that means it contains some of the same various health benefits that dark vegetables have. Those advantages come from flavonoids that act as antioxidants. The antioxidants protect the body from aging that is caused by molecules produced through normal digestive processes, which cause the damage that leads to heart disease.

Dark Chocolate has a tremendous number of antioxidants. Manufacturers have learned how to make the product keeping up to 95% of flavonoids. The higher the level of those flavonoids, the more benefits the consumer will get from the chocolate. In fact, dark chocolate that is rich with flavonoids will elevate the blood levels of epicatechin that will allow the release of active substances which will improve blood flow in the artery. Improved blood flow is a great health benefit for the heart.

There are two health benefits in particular eating dark chocolate has for the heart. One is lower blood pressure and the other lower cholesterol. If eaten on a daily basis, it can reduce blood pressure in people who have high blood pressure and it also reduces LDL cholesterol, also known as the bad cholesterol, by up to 10 percent.

There are other health benefits to eating dark chocolate as well including stimulating endorphin production, producing a feeling of pleasure, it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant, it contains other stimulants and it just tastes good.

This does not mean anyone should go on a dark chocolate eating binge. Chocolate of all kinds is loaded with calories and fat. It is recommended the consumer eat no more than 3.5 ounces a day to enjoy the heart and other health benefits dark chocolate offers.

It is strongly recommended anyone adding dark chocolate to their daily diet should look for pure dark chocolate, either plain or with nuts or any kind of flavoring. The consumer should avoid any kind of fillings, such as caramel or nougat, because the fillings add unneeded and unwanted sugar and fat which will keep you from getting the benefits.

It is also advised not to drink milk with your dark chocolate. Research has shown milk can prevent the antioxidants from being absorbed or used by the body.

Adam Leeds is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about heart benefits [http://hearthealthblog.info/heart-benefits-from-dark-chocolate/], please visit Heart Health Blog [http://hearthealthblog.info/] for current articles and discussions.