Dark Chocolate
Including dark chocolate in diet may benefit the heart by helping arterial damage caused by free radicals, and inhibit aggregation which could cause a heart attack or stroke.
Dark chocolate contains high levels of antioxidants called flavonoids. The two most common flavonoids are catechin and epicatechin, both of which have potent antioxidant effects.
Flavonoids are shown to neutralize free radicals which are released during energy production and other processes in the body.
Free radicals can inflict damage to cells and tissues and is an indicator of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a process of free radical release.
There have also been studies indicating that the flavonoids in cocoa relax the blood vessels, which inhibits an enzyme that causes inflammation.
Epidemiological studies indicate that at inverse relationship exist between heart disease and the consumption of flavonoids.
Dark chocolate contains more cocoa than typical milk chocolate candy bar. Cocoa is rich in natural compounds that are powerful enough to make dark chocolate a superfood.
One ounce of dark chocolate ( 60-70% cocoa) has about 160 calories. It is rich in magnesium, a mineral that human body needs for normal nerve and muscle function; and provides 5% of daily need of selenium, a mineral the works as an antioxidant.
Dark Chocolate
