The best chocolate for your health is raw chocolate nibs or powder. These are unprocessed, have no sugar, lots of fiber and antioxidants. The more the chocolate is processed, the fewer health benefits remain in the finished product. If you want something sweet try organic chocolate bars with a 70% or higher cacao content. Raw chocolate is even better. I have included one of my favorite recipes below with Raw Cacao, this is the purest form of chocolate.
Good For Your Heart - Studies show chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. These anti-inflammatory properties lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and lower your blood pressure. Cacao has anti-clotting blood-thinning properties which work in a similar way to asprin which can improve blood flow and circulation
Helps Weight Loss - Organic dark chocolate is rich in fiber which will help keep you full so you eat less. Dr. David Katz, founding director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center says to do yourself a favor by treating yourself to a few bits of chocolate instead of snacking on "11 other things first". Chocolate my even reduce cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods too. Of course you need to control yourself and not eat the whole bar.
May Fight Diabetes - An Italian study from 2005 found that regularly eating chocolate increases insulin sensitivity which reduces your risk for diabetes.
Natural Anti-Depressant -Chocolate contains serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. The stimulation of endorphins from eating chocolate creates feelings of happiness and pleasure. So if you're feeling a little sad it may help to savor a few bites of chocolate, allowing it to melt slowly on your tongue. One study found that melting chocolate in the mouth produced feelings of pleasure longer than passionate kissing.
High in Magnesium -Magnesium balance is crucial to the proper function of your heart. It increases the heart's oxygen supply, prevents blood clots, relaxes the smooth muscles of the arteries, and slows the blockage of blood vessels. Cacao is higher in magnesium than any other plant. Magnesium is an important mineral that also helps in the regulation of the digestive systems. Since many people are magnesium deficient, adding magnesium-rich dark chocolate to the diet can improve overall health.
Life Extender - A study done on the Kuna tribe of Panama showed they consumed large amounts of raw cacao every day. They had less diseases and a longer life expectancy than neighboring tribes who did not eat as much cacao. Another study on Jeanne Louise Calment, who lived to the age of 122 ascribed her longevity in part to her consumption of 2.5 pounds of dark chocolate a week.
Quiets Your Cough - An ingredient in chocolate called theobromine seems to reduce the activity of the vagus nerve, the part of the brain that triggers the cough. The BBC reported that scientists were doing research to create a drug containing theobromine to replace cough syrups containing codeine which has risky side effects.
Good For Your Brain - Dark chocolate has been found to improve memory. Researchers at California's Salk Institute found that a chemical in chocolate called epicatechin improved the memory of mice. At Johns Hopkins University they found chocolate can protect the brain after a stroke by shielding the nerve cells from further damage.
Improves Circulation - Cacao has anti-clotting blood-thinning properties which work ina similar way to asprin which can improve blood flow and circulation according to Dr Fitzgerald.
Improves Vision - Since chocolate has the ability to improve blood flow especially to the brain, researchers at the University of Reading hypothesized in 2011 study that chocolate may also increase blood flow to the retina for better vision.
So grab yourself a bar of dark chocolate or, even better, some raw cacao, and give your body and brain a boost.
