Sunday, August 23, 2009

Not Just for Valentine's Day Anymore!

Fairtrade chocolate pieces, originally uploaded by net_efekt.

Just because something tastes good, doesn't mean it has to be bad for
you. Recent research in to the properties of chocolate show that it
contains potassium, magnesium, vitamins B1, B2, D, E, and
antioxidants.

Cocoa, the main ingredient of chocolate, contains phenols which are
known antioxidants and which contribute to fighting free-radicals,
heart disease, and boosting the immune system. Some ancient cultures
used chocolate as a medicine and as a tranquilizer; it contains
Trypophan and when eaten releases seratonin in the brain.

Like anything else, of course, over-indulgence can be bad for you. The
sugar and cream used to make "milk chocolate" are not part of the
health benefits; in fact, milk is thought to block the absorption of
chocolate's antioxidants, so choose dark chocolate for the most
benefit to your body.

Additional reading: http://scicom.ucsc.edu/scinotes/0001/chocolate.htm

No comments:

Post a Comment