Health and Fitness - Chocolate Is Good For You

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(Chocolate Is Good For You)

By Dean Traiger, MD , aka Doc-Dean

Chocolate's scientific name, theobroma cacao, is literally translated as "fruit of gods.”You are probably thinking that this is another spoof article. Well I’ll let you decide for yourself. Researchers reported, at the American Society of Hypertension annual scientific meeting in New York, that consuming dark chocolate and cocoa improves the function of blood vessels.

In one new study, consumption of cocoa in healthy volunteers, aged 18 to 77, resulted in significantly improved vascular responsiveness. (The measure the researchers looked at the "stiffness" of blood vessels. In patients whose blood vessels that are "stiff," hypertension is common.)

In a second study, after volunteers ate 100 grams of dark chocolate (the sacrifices one performs for science!) vascular responsiveness was again significantly improved.

New and yet-to-be-published studies are showing that antioxidants in chocolate -- dark chocolate and cocoa powder -- may increase "good" (HDL) cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent, says Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., a registered dietitian at Pennsylvania State University.

In the studies, subjects ate 22 grams of cocoa powder and 16 grams of dark chocolate every day (one Hershey bar contains 45 grams of cocoa powder). The result: Their "bad" (LDL) cholesterol was less susceptible to oxidation, a process that normally leads to artery-clogging plaques. While many people take vitamins and other antioxidants to help prevent plaque development, the study shows that cocoa could do the trick.

Is That Chocolate Bunny Good For You?

Chocolate contains essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium, and vitamins A, B1, C, D and E, and cocoa is also the highest natural source for Magnesium.

Does this mean we should all begin eating chocolate like it's candy? I say the answer is a resounding YES!

But with the good, inevitably comes the bad - chocolate is also high in calories and fat, so moderation is the key. If you're concerned you might be a chocoholic and won't be able to stop at just one bar, buy chocolate in smaller sizes. You can still enjoy chocolate. In fact, it seems that there are now more reasons to.

The Swiss eat 12 pounds of it a year, and Americans are second, eating 9 pounds a year.

14 RULES IN THE WORLD FAMOUS CHOCOLATE DIET PLAN

If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?

Money talks. Chocolate sings.

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

QUESTION: Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous? ANSWER: Because no one wants to quit.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?

Because everyone else likes chocolate so well, if you don't get your share right away someone else will get more than you.

If there isn't enough chocolate to go around, go ahead and eat it, but be sure to wipe your face, wash your hands, and brush your teeth.

Editor's Note: If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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