Dark Chocolate, how good is it?

There are numerous studies showing us the reasons why we should enjoy dark chocolate more. One benefit is, it is good for the heart. Flavonol, the main ingredient in chocolate has a positive effect on the heart. The flavonoids, which gives chocolate the bitter taste, act as antioxidants and fight free radicals which causes damage that leads to heart disease.

It is actually the bitter taste that is important but most of the time that bitter taste is almost removed during processing to make chocolate yummier. When flavonoids are present, it can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system functioning well.

However, it is hard to tell if the chocolate bar you're buying still contains flavonoids by merely looking at it. Check the label and see if it has 70 percent cocoa content and try to find out also if it has been processed with alkali. Alkali removes the flavonoids.

Some experts say that a small bar everyday should be enough to reap the benefits but other studies show that you need just an ounce (sometimes even less). But the real problem lies on how to stop, it is so hard to stop once you had a bite. As I have mentioned in my other posts about chocolate, here and here, the only drawback is it is packed with calories. Just an ounce yields about 150 calories.

To sum it up, go ahead and enjoy it but don't overindulge. Flavonol is not only found in chocolate, fruits like apples and vegetables and beans are also rich in flavonol.

source: Food
photo credit: chocolate.org