Background Info
Made from cocoa nibs (husked, fermented, and roasted cocoa beans) by refining and the addition of sugar, cocoa butter, flavouring, lecithin, and, for milk chocolate, milk solids. It may also contain vegetable oils other than cocoa butter. Originally from Central America, xocoatl is a cold drink made from cocoa flavoured with honey, spices and vanilla; according to Aztec mythology the god of air, Quetzalcoatl, came to earth and taught human beings to cultivate various crops, including cacao.
Benefits
Chocolate benefits are from flavonoids - which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help.Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
- Lower Blood Pressue: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
- Lower Cholesterol:Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.
Many chocolate products, such as cocoa powder and chocolate syrup, are typically processed with alkali, removing most of these beneficial flavonoids in the process. And milk chocolate has fewer of these beneficial chemicals than does dark chocolate. Many manufacturers make great bite-sized pieces of dark chocolate that can help fulfill that chocolate craving. Non-fat chocolate puddings or hot chocolate mixes are another great option.