Today is National Chocolate Day

Posted on 28 October 2009 by MajaSaja

National Chocolate Day is October 28 and a perfect day to celebrate the many health benefits of chocolate. While chocolate is primarily eaten for pleasure, there are potential health benefits of eating chocolate.

Cocoa or dark chocolate benefits the circulatory system. Other beneficial effects suggested include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal effects. An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven. Of course, there are negative effects to a person’s health if they eat chocolate, mainly obesity caused by overindulgence. It can also be toxic to animals due to many animals.

However, for the sake of National Chocolate Day, here is some basic information about some of the health benefits of chocolate.

Circulatory benefits
Studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages.

Muscle recovery
A study from James Madison University showed that post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk provides equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories.

Circulatory benefits
Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages

A study performed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and appearing the Journal of Internal Medicine in September 2009, found that survivors of heart attacks who ate chocolate at least two or three times a week reduced their risk of death by a factor of up to three times compared to survivors who did not eat chocolate.

Aphrodisiac
There are many tales that identify chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate are most often associated with the simple sensual pleasure of its consumption.

Candy company Mars, Inc. spends money each year on cocoa flavonol research. The company is talking with pharmaceutical companies to license drugs based on synthesized cocoa flavonol molecules. According to Mars-funded researchers at Harvard, the University of California, and European universities, cocoa-based prescription drugs could potentially help treat diabetes, dementia and other diseases.

Celebrate National Chocolate day and enjoy the health benefits…or just the fact that it is delicious!