Health Benefits and Chocolate Effects
So, what is the healthiest Chocolate?
It's a fact that plain dark chocolate products containing a minimum 70% or more cocoa solids are the healthiest and the best way to satisfy a craving for chocolate, without consuming too much sugar and saturated fat or HVO. If your a Milk or White Chocolate lover, choose products with a minimum of 30% chocolate solids (Milk Chocolate) or 30% chocolate butter (white chocolate).
Chocolate lovers go wrong by choosing cheap (& not so cheap) "brand name" chocolate or chocolates, low in chocolate solids (ave is less than 20% chocolate solids, but some can contain less than 7%), all are high in sugar content, saturated fats and other health hazards such as HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) and consequently can be disastrous for both teeth and health.
"Chocolate contains up to four times the anti-oxidants found in tea." Sound too good to be true? In fact, that was the conclusion of a recent study by Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment. Researchers found that chocolate - specifically dark chocolate - contains 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 grams. (Catechins are the powerful anti-oxidants that fight against cancer-causing cells and help prevent heart disease). By contrast, 100 ml of black tea contains a mere 13.9 mg of catechins.
With so much going for chocolate and the great health benefits, it's unfortunate that chocolate has developed a bad reputation on the health effects front. Confirmed chocoholics often worry that indulging in their chocolate cravings will lead to everything from rotting teeth to acne, not to mention the need to lose a few pounds.
Fortunately, scientists are beginning to disprove some common myths about the dangers of eating too much chocolate. For example, it is not true that eating chocolate can cause acne or make it worse. Nor is chocolate the threat to healthy teeth that it was once thought to be. While both cocoa and chocolate contain sugar, they also have properties that work against sugar's tendency to produce the oral bacteria that eventually leads to dental decay. In fact, researchers at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York, have concluded that milk chocolate is one of the snack foods that is least likely to contribute to tooth decay, since it contains phosphate and other minerals.
Furthermore, while chocolate may not be the most healthy snack around, it does contain a number of nutrients. High in potassium and essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and magnesium, chocolate also provides us with several vitamins - including B1, B2, D, and E. As for calories, no one is going to claim chocolate is the quintessential diet food. Still, the average chocolate bar contains approximately 250 calories - low enough for a dieter to enjoy one as an occasional treat. Besides, indulging your chocolate craving from time to time can help prevent the bingeing that is a dieter's worst enemy.es, it's true, Chocolate which is high in cocoa solids (70% or more) is now recognised as having many qualities that are beneficial to health,
Cocoa is also the highest natural source for Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is linked with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension (PMT or PMS). The high Magnesium content of Chocolate is beneficial for the Cardiovascular System and hypertension. The fat in high quality plain chocolate (although technically a 'saturated fat') can be considered cholesterol free as it does not fur up the arteries or contribute to high cholesterol levels. It's a pre-menstrual drop in progesterone levels which is responsible for the violent mood swings familiar to so many women (and their families), adding magnesium to a sufferers diet has been proved to increase pre-menstrual progesterone levels, thus alleviating the problem.
Chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter, serotonin, that acts as an anti-depressant. Other substances, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine, have a stimulating effect. However, the truth is that scientists are still not positive how the over three-hundred chemicals contained in chocolate make us feel so good.
But it's Not So Gloomy Now!
If you love chocolates, Ilze has developed only the finest, they are not only deliciously different, but because the fillings generally contain far less sugar than many 'Brand Names' and than other chocolates, you could say they are healthier than many other chocolates too.