Welcome to Mayesa’s BlogWhy You Should Eat and Drink High-Cacao Dark Chocolate – Part 1December 20, 2013
Finally the experts endorse a food that is so tasty that we feel almost decadent eating it, yet at the same time turns out to be oh-so-good for us. The more studies that are done the more detailed is our understanding of just what amazing things cacao can do for our bodies. Nutritionist and fitness expert Mark Sisson explains it as well as we’ve ever seen, and and we are reprinting his discussion of the health benefits of cacao here. The article will be in two parts so you will get all of his great information: The truth is that you should probably be eating dark chocolate on at least a semi-regular basis because, as it turns out, it is very good for you. Dark chocolate is healthy. Dark chocolate is great – the perfect storm of flavor, flavonoids, and fat. It tastes really good, comes loaded with polyphenols, and cocoa butter is a great source of saturated and monosaturated fat. I am going to explicitly outline the myriad health benefits that cacao offers. 1. Dark chocolate contains healthy fats. Cocoa butter, which is extracted from the cacao bean and incorporated into most reputable dark chocolate bars, is mostly monounsaturated and saturated fat, with very little polyunsaturated fat. And most of that saturated fat is stearic acid, widely known for having neutral effects on LDL (the bad cholesterol). 2. Dark chocolate contains lots of polyphenols, particularly flavanols. When it comes to polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, cacao trounces the “superfruits” acai, pomegranate, cranberry, and blueberry. The most studied polyphenol in cacao is epicatechin, a flavanol that is quite potent and healthful. What when the square of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate melts on the tongue, is swallowed, digested, and incorporated into the body? What are the actual health benefits of consuming high-cacao content dark chocolate? Read on – 3. Dark chocolate and blood pressure. Epidemiological studies (the study of the causes and effects of health in specific populations) pretty consistently show that dark chocolate consumption is related to lower blood pressure readings, for example among the Kuna Indians living in Panama, and the elderly Dutch. These findings led to controlled studies by researchers in the medical and nutrition fields. For example, one study found that fifteen days of eating dark chocolate lowered blood pressure (and improved insulin sensitivity) in healthy subjects. Cacao consumption also improved arterial flow in smokers. Another study used flavanol-rich cacao to increase nitric oxide production in healthy humans which dilated the blood vessels thus lowering blood pressure. Still another study found that eating dark chocolate improved circulation directly to the heart.
Source: MarksDailyApple Disclaimer: Neither Mark Sisson nor Mayesa has received remuneration for the publication of this guest blog, nor is there product endorsement.
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