01/11/2023
Is dark chocolate good for your heart health?
The good news is yes, dark chocolate can provide several heart health benefits when consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Some of these include:
- Lowering blood pressure – dark chocolate contains flavanols, which can help relax the blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
- Reducing Inflammation – dark chocolate also contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
- Improving cholesterol profile – studies have shown that consuming dark chocolate can improve the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood and lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
- Improving blood flow – the flavanols in dark chocolate can also help improve blood flow to the heart and brain, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It’s important to note that these benefits are primarily associated with chocolate that contains a high percentage of cocoa (at least 70%). Sadly, milk chocolate and white chocolate do not offer the same benefits, as they contain much lower levels of cocoa solids.
What dark chocolate does have in common with its white and milk counterparts is it will contribute to weight gain if eaten in high quantities so moderation is the key to reaping its health benefits.
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