Chocolates and your health (Happy Valentine's day - share chocolates!)

humor0404 (66)in #steemstem • 5 years ago (edited)

Oh sweet chocolate...when you think of chocolate, usually you imagine that brown beautiful looking food with amazing taste. How it melts in the mouth is also such a wonder; chocolate should melt naturally in your mouth, since the melting point is about 36 degree Celsius. To be honest with you, thoughts of chocolate makes me salivate. Damn...I love chocolates. It comes in different varieties - you have the dark chocolate, the milk chocolate and the white chocolate.

Among the varieties that I mentioned above, the dark chocolate is the one that has been said by scientists - through several studies- to be the most healthy. So, next time you want to buy chocolates, ensure you go for the healthy one - and now you know the color. When it comes to the health benefits of eating chocolates - the darker the better. And now, the question is what makes the chocolate darker? Well, it's the cocoa content - if the cocoa content is high, then it looks really dark and healthy to eat of course.

There is a constituent called flavonoids, that is usually present in cocoa and therefore in chocolate; since chocolates are prepared from cocoa. The more the flavonoids, the darker the chocolate. Therefore, the milk chocolate doesn't have as much flavonoids as the dark chocolates and the white one, almost has no flavonoids at all. So you see that it's evident that you should try to avoid white chocolates as they are not that healthy. Let me share with us some for the reasons why I think that everyone of us should start eating dark chocolates as often as possible. But reasonably of course. After reading this, don't be surprised if you see yourself jumping out of your house in search of chocolates. Allow me blow your mind...

Do you want to lower your blood pressure?

Hmmm...I don't need to tell you what you should add to your foods. Or perhaps I should tell you - CHOCOLATES...Yep, you read that right. Chocolates would help lower your blood pressure.

hmmm...so sweet

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Wikimedia Commons

Let me tell you how. Remember, we just talked about flavonoids; yes, the flavonoids present in chocolates help in reducing blood pressure in the arteries by raising the levels of nitric oxide in the blood. What does this mean? Chocolates have become sweet drugs for people with hypertension. And we know, hypertension tends to lead to cardiovascular diseases. Thus, to lower your blood pressure, make sure to take dark chocolates as part of your diet. The relationship between chocolates and cardiovascular diseases is one of the major health benefits of chocolates. You can read these for more information -
Cocoa, chocolate and cardiovascular disease by Monica Galleano, Ph. D., Patricia I. Oteiza, Ph. D., and Cesar G. Fraga, Ph.D.

Does chocolate reduce blood pressure? A meta-analysis by Karin Ried, Thomas Sullivan, [...], and Nigel P Stocks.

Chocolates and good moods!

O yes, I don't need to say too much, you and I both know how happy you feel when you put a sweet chocolate into your mouth. Your taste buds get excited. Your mood improves obviously and it's no surprise why. This is simply because chocolates contain a chemical called Phenylethylamine - this chemical causes you to feel really happy. It also turns you on for sex by activating the pleasure nuclei of your brain.

Looking at so many studies, it is evident that women are more turned on by consuming chocolates than men. Men enjoy the benefit of chocolates in relation to sex, as a result of the fact that chocolates increase blood flow and as we may know, increased blood flow helps for better erection. No wonder chocolate is a major Valentine's day food. And in that connection, I want to wish you a happy Valentine's day! Share chocolates, play with chocolates, enjoy chocolates...

Happy Valentine's day

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Flickr

There is also a chemical called serotonin. Another name this chemical is called is the happiness chemical. The chemical just makes you feel happy and excited. You don't find this chemical in chocolates, rather you find another chemical called tryptophan. Now, here's the thing - our brains can easily change tryptophan to serotonin. Thus, we get happiness feelings by consuming chocolates. You can read these for more information -
Chocolate and women's sexual health: An intriguing correlation. by Salonia A, et al. J Sex Med. 2006.

Chocolate Consumption and Women’s Sexual Function. by Gad Saad Ph.D.

Chocolates can lower your stress levels

Yes, chocolates can lower your stress levels. How does that make you feel? Excited right?. I have a feeling that right now, you want to go play that sport, do that exercise and enjoy some really fun physical activities, because you know that chocolates are there to take away all your stress. In fact, chocolates are been used to treat patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and many other stress and fatigue related diseases.

I love chocolates!

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Flickr

By consuming chocolates every single day for two weeks, the stress hormones in your body would significantly reduce, according to several studies. The polyphenols present in chocolates help make that possible - which is an antioxidant. So whenever you feel stressed out, have some chocolates. And best of all is adding chocolates to your diet. It would definitely do you much good. But again as I have mentioned above, it's important to consume chocolates reasonably. And not abuse it. Too much of perhaps anything is bad, and you know it. Thus, maintain moderation in your consumption of chocolates. You can read this for more information -
Chocolate Reduces Stress, Study Finds by Clara Moskowitz.

There are so many other reasons why chocolates are really healthy for you. It's an amazing food. Considering how tasty it is, it is really fascinating the positive effects consuming it has on our well being. I decided to share this with you, because as you know today is Valentine's day and I want you to have an awesome time. So enjoy yourself, have fun, and share love with chocolates!!!

References

Cocoa, chocolate and cardiovascular disease by Monica Galleano, Ph. D., Patricia I. Oteiza, Ph. D., and Cesar G. Fraga, Ph.D.
Does chocolate reduce blood pressure? A meta-analysis by Karin Ried, Thomas Sullivan, [...], and Nigel P Stocks.
Chocolate and women's sexual health: An intriguing correlation. by Salonia A, et al. J Sex Med. 2006.
Chocolate Consumption and Women’s Sexual Function. by Gad Saad Ph.D.
Chocolate Reduces Stress, Study Finds by Clara Moskowitz.

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