Chocolate is still considered a luxury food and therefore something nasty or unhealthy - but is this a fair assessment? With so many other things in our diet, the supposed negative or positive aspects of eating chocolate are the subject of much controversy. Whenever a new report is published, it lays the conclusions of the previous one in disarray. This is true for many other foods as well as our beloved chocolate! Perhaps the real answer is not so much in chocolate itself, but in the way, and the amount we eat. The chemical constituents of chocolate include a flavinoid and flavinoids are known to the practice there can be no argument on this aspect of the benefits of eating chocolate. Chocolate also contains antioxidants that help remove other harmful components of blood, such as free radicals-once more that is not in dispute.
That is when the opinions start to differ, as an argument for chocolate in terms of flavinoids and anti-oxidants is cancelled for many people by the presence of sugar and fat in chocolate. The potentially harmful effects of these are seen as outweighing the benefits of others, including flavinoids are available in other foods and beverages such as vegetables, fruits and tea. As for many things, common sense should play a role. All things are harmful when taken in excess, even foods that are generally regarded as beneficial to our health. Moderation is key in all aspects of life and eating chocolate is no exception.
When sugars are concerned, a health point of view of complex sugars are deemed to be better because they take longer to break down in the body. However simple sugars are carbohydrates and provide energy demand, allowing the body to function effectively. The fat in small quantities perform the necessary functions inside the body, which helps modulate certain hormones in the brain and as a carbohydrate, it provides energy as quickly if needed. However, it must be said that one of the fat in chocolate is stearic acid, a saturated fat and can therefore lead to an increase of cholesterols. Again, moderation is key. There are many chemical compounds in chocolate that are much more beneficial and should be taken into account when worrying about possible negative effects of fat and sugar. For example caffeine - if harmful if taken to excess, is thought to be a positive influence on health if taken in small quantities. The amount of caffeine in chocolate is lower than that of coffee in order to have a cup of hot chocolate is less a question of having an equivalent cup of coffee - if I must confess a personal weakness for a scoreboard in my coffee hot chocolate or even a hint of chocolate in my coffee!
There is no doubt that chocolate has a “feel good” factor, and it is much loved by many women during strikes MTP. In fact, there are times when it is not safe for any man to enter our house unless they have a chocolate bar in front of them as a shield! Tryptophan, a compound which develops in serotonin, found in chocolate. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that helps us cope with the effects of combat stress and depression is thus another advantage. Serotonin is created in the brain when we’re sleeping if you miss sleep chocolate can be a great help to keep you on an even keel. The research also indicated that chocolate causes the release of endorphins in the brain that give you a “high” in the form of a sense of well-being and relaxation. Combined with the gentle stimulating effect of theobromine, chocolate can produce a feeling of alertness and generates much more positive than some other incentives from time to time we take on board as alcohol.
Better quality, high cocoa solid content of chocolate, so-called fine chocolates, has much less fat and sugar, and provided that, like all good things, we take in moderation, it is done little damage. In short, chocolate makes us feel good and should be beneficial to our sense of health and well-being.