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Since it is very very delicious in taste, many people are addicted to chocolate, include me :-D Chocolate is made from the fermented, roasted, and ground seeds taken from the pod of the tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. Up next then, you have to notice : if there is a guy said, “Chocolate makes you fat”, that is not totally true. On the contrary, chocolate makes us health. How does it works? Here we go.

Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have an effect on body chemistry. One type of chocolate is dark chocolate, which is blended from its basic ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, and (sometimes) vanilla. Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of the flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective properties. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages. Evidence from laboratory studies suggest that cocoa flavonoids may possess anticarcinogenic mechanisms, but more research is needed to prove this idea.

Research indicates that chocolate may be effective at preventing persistent coughing. The ingredient theobromine was found to be almost one third more effective than codeine, the leading cough medicine. The chocolate also appears to soothe and moisten the throat. And you know what? South American and European cultures have used cocoa to treat diarrhea for hundreds of years. Waw!

Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid in chocolate does not raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Consuming relatively large amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa does not seem to raise serum LDL cholesterol levels; some studies even find that it could lower them. Some studies have also observed a modest reduction in blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation after consuming approximately 100g of dark chocolate daily. There has even been a fad diet, named “Chocolate diet”, that emphasizes eating chocolate and cocoa powder in capsules.

One more thing. That chocolate causes acne, you have to read this up next sentences. The University of Pennsylvania and the US Naval Academy conducted experiments that fed subjects chocolate or a bar with similar amounts of macronutrients (fat, sugar etc.) and found that consumption of chocolate, frequent or not, had no effect on the developing of acne. Chocolate bars with milk content may contribute to acne. It is not the chocolate itself that causes acne, but rather the milk with which the chocolate is mixed.

However, the major concern is that consuming too much chocolate would promote weight gain. As a consequence, the consumption of this ’sweet things’ must obey the rules of health. In addition, other research found that chocolate is dangerous to pets (and other animals). Get your animals/ pets far away from chocolate. Of course they know that its delicious, but they don’t know its danger :-(

Topik: Cholesterol, Dietary, Foods, Habits