Dark chocolate is good for you, right? That is the rumor that every now and then rears its head. People get very excited to hear that they can eat chocolate without guilt however there are some startling facts about dark chocolate that you may find surprising.
Dark chocolate, not milk chocolate is the chocolate that is good for you however it can have a bitter taste because of the high concentration of coca in the chocolate. The higher the content of coca the better the chocolate is for you.
Of course like anything else you really should not overdo it. There is a balance between just enough and too much. The pros and cons are listed below to give you an idea of how important it is to balance out your intake of dark chocolate.
List of Pros of Dark Chocolate
1. Rich in Antioxidants
Dark chocolate gets the seal of approval from nutritionists as an okay treat because it is rich in antioxidants that can ward off aging. There is evidence that dark chocolate contains as much as 40 grams of antioxidants per serving. Antioxidants actually work to neutralize chemicals and other factors that we are exposed to everyday that can cause premature aging of our organs. A couple of servings of dark chocolate has the same properties that red wine or a bunch of red grapes do and of course it is chocolate which makes it so much better.
2. Get a Feel Good Buzz
Chocolate increases the production of “happy” hormones in your body much like laughing does. These chemicals will naturally elevate your mood and just make you feel better about life. You may notice that when you are feeling down you crave chocolate. It is your body telling you that you need a mood enhancement fix quick.
List of Cons of Dark Chocolate
1. Sugars
Dark chocolate may taste a little bitterer than milk chocolate but the reality is, it is still chockfull of sugars. If you are on a diet or diabetic this may be a treat that you will have to pass on because of the sugar content.
2. Tooth Issues
Sugar promotes tooth decay. We have long known that any sugary treat can promote tooth decay and it is also true of chocolate. The bacteria on plaque which causes tooth decay can easily thrive on sugar and replicate causing more cavities and tooth worries.
3. High Calorie
Dark chocolate or any chocolate for that matter goes through a processing phase that really enhances the calorie count. It can be really detrimental to your diet to eat more than a small portion of dark chocolate when you consider that even a small serving is usually in excess of 300 calories. The calories add up very quickly.
4. Mood Swings
Like just about everything else in life you can become addicted to chocolate. It has all the properties that make it a potential addiction possibility like great taste and the ability to help your body produce more of the feel good hormones. The action of making you feel better alone is enough to cause an addiction to this sweet treat. Of course once your body gets used to having this treat and you have to go some time without it you may experience mood swings.
5. Bad for Your Skin
If you suffer from acne or the occasional break out than you should really eat any kind of chocolate sparingly. There is a correlation between chocolate consumption and acne. While it would be unfair to say that dark chocolate cause’s acne you should know that it can increase the duration of your acne.
Overall
Dark chocolate is good for you in limits. You can help to avoid over doing it by:
- Never eat it on an empty stomach.
- Use it only as an occasional treat.
- Eat is slowly.
- Brush after eating it.
- Buy small bars instead of the “king sized” versions.
Save chocolate for after dinner so you will be full and not tempted to eat the entire bar of bag (yes it happens all the time). Instead of having a piece of dark chocolate everyday have one every other or every third day to avoid the pitfalls of getting your body use to it. Enjoy your chocolate, savor every bite instead of wolfing it down and missing out on the experience which could leave you wanting more. Avoid the temptation of eating more than you should by buying only small snack size bars instead of those king size or family size bars.
It is all about self-control when it comes to dark chocolate. Most experts agree that some dark chocolate is good for you but if you overdo it then you lose the good for you part and wind up feeling guilty about over doing it.