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By Gillian Foreman (Add Gillian as a Friend!) No, it’s not just for breakfast anymore! Nor does it need to be reserved for those late night chick-flick gab fests with the girls. There is actual evidence that dark chocolate is good for you, other than just the antioxidant advertisements we see from the makers of Dove and Hershey’s. And since most of us have been hearing that voice in our heads to justify indulgence anyways – it’s high time we hug our doctors for making it true! 
Just as a daily glass of red wine aids in cleansing our arteries and assisting our blood flow, a small bar of dark chocolate can be good for you! The key is in getting dark chocolate that has a high cocoa content and less milk, as the milk in milk chocolate is seen as an interference with the absorption of the antioxidants which are the primary benefit of eating chocolate. Additionally, it has been shown to lower blood pressure, aid in digestion, lower levels of heart disease and even aid in your body’s defense of free radicals.
So why have we not heard about all of these benefits of dark chocolate? The difficulty lies in making a blanket statement about dark chocolate, as the determined amount of how much dark chocolate you should consume and how often you should consume it are still being researched. Additionally, we're sure that women everywhere would flock to candy stores and purchase all of the dark choclate! More specifically, dark chocolate has higher levels of plant phenols, or in this case cocoa phenols, which are compounds that naturally lower blood pressure. Researchers say that the higher cocoa content the better. However, the correct diet balancing is crucial, as you would not want to replace healthier fruits and vegetables with chocolate in your daily routine. Also, always be on the lookout for sugar content, and try to purchase dark chocolate from organic stores with natural sugar substitutions in the chocolate, such as raw sugar cane or unprocessed brown sugar.
So kick back and enjoy the fruit, or plant, benefits of your new knowledge! Being good to yourself has never tasted so sweet. Buy organic dark chocolate that's good for you! Health by Chocolate Read the Journal of American Medical Association’s original article on findings in August 2003, at: jama.ama-assn.org Locate your nearest organic market for chocolate at: www.localharvest.org
What do YOU think? Milk or Dark, which one do you eat more?
Readers have left 7 comments.  1. Posted by ian on 2008-01-14 22:02:12 This is really interesting. Thanks!  2. Posted by nannygirl on 2008-01-21 17:18:00 thanks for the article.  My husband was hit by a truck while walking for his health. They wanted to amputate his foot it was so mangled. His leg was shattered as well. One physican refused to give up when I begged him to try and save his leg. He has 2 long metal rods, and 14 screws through those rods. He walks as if nothing has happened. God Bless those whom never give up! 4. Posted by Kentgirl on 2008-01-30 13:24:55 Just shows dark chocolate rules! A little a day keeps you happy!  5. Posted by ShaynaJ on 2008-02-05 06:05:28 My father (something of a health nut) actually carries around a large bar of dark, organic chocolate (with essence of orange, no less!) that he regularly snacks on. He calls it his "daily dose of medicinal anti-oxidants."  6. Posted by Coffeemom on 2008-02-22 18:19:47 I always loved dark chocolate before they knew it was good for you.  7. Posted by Marivi on 2008-05-23 18:36:12 In the Basque Country is a old tradition have a large cup of dark chocolate a day, and works !!! |
