What is dark chocolate good for

Read this guide to find the best types of dark chocolate to buy, as well as which to avoid. Coffee, despite having been demonized in the past, is actually good for you. Here are a few tips to make sure your cup of coffee is as healthy as…. This article takes a detailed look at red wine and its health effects.

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This article explores the environmental and…. For optimal health, it's a good idea to choose the foods that contain the most nutrients. Here are the 11 most nutrient-dense foods on earth. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Very nutritious. A study found that the flavanols in chocolate can increase insulin sensitivity and, in the long run, may help prevent diabetes.

The Kuna Indians, a tribe based on the Caribbean Coast of Panama, were found to have a reduced frequency of diabetes in their population, plus lower rates of stroke, diabetes, and cancer than other Panamanians, which has been linked to their high intake of flavanol-rich cocoa. Dark chocolate also contains a significant quantity of magnesium which can help to relax the muscles in your digestive system and therefore help to speed up bowel movements.

Dark chocolate naturally contains caffeine and more caffeine than milk or white chocolate. This means dark chocolate is fairly rich in caffeine, so you may not want to consume too much at night.

Chan School of Public Health ; bars with lower percentages of cacao have more added sugar and unhealthy fats. To avoid weight gain, Amidor recommends eating no more than 1 ounce of dark chocolate per day.

Now, a look at what this treat offers. One of the biggest benefits that researchers tout is the role dark chocolate may play in improving heart health. A meta-analysis of eight studies on the link between chocolate consumption and cardiovascular disease, published in July in the journal Heart , found that people who ate more chocolate per day had a lower risk of both heart disease and stroke.

A number of observational studies have also shown indulging in dark chocolate on a regular basis may reduce the risk of heart disease. For example, one earlier study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate dark chocolate more than five times a week reduced their risk of heart disease by 57 percent. These chemicals help produce nitric oxide, which causes blood vessels to relax and blood pressure to lower, noted a review published in March in the American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology.

Because many of these studies are observational, the results could be skewed by people underreporting their chocolate intake. More study is needed to determine the exact amount and types of flavonoid-rich chocolate that would help lessen stroke risk. Further research presented at the Experimental Biology meeting found that eating 48 grams g of organic chocolate with 70 percent cacao increased neuroplasticity in the brain, which could have positive effects on memory, cognition, and mood.

Improvements in brain health may be due to the high levels of flavonoids in dark chocolate, which research, like a study published in April in The FASEB Journal , has found to have accumulated in regions of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Dark chocolate contains several compounds that possess antioxidant properties, such as flavanols and polyphenols. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress refers to the damage that excessive amounts of free radicals can inflict on cells and tissues in the body. Oxidative stress contributes to the natural aging process. Over time, the effects of oxidative stress may also contribute to the development of a variety of diseases, such as :.

Some of the compounds in dark chocolate, specifically flavanols, affect two major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulate nitric oxide production in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to dilate, or widen, which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. A study investigated the effects of chocolate consumption in 60 people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The researchers found that participants who ate 25 grams g of dark chocolate daily for 8 weeks had significantly lower blood pressure than those who ate the same quantity of white chocolate.

The findings of a review showed that the beneficial effects of dark chocolate on blood pressure might be more significant in older people and those with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, as opposed to younger, healthy individuals. Dark chocolate also contains certain compounds, such as polyphenols and theobromine, that may lower levels of low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol in the body and increase levels of high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol.

However, dark chocolate consumption did not affect LDL cholesterol levels in the study participants. However, chronic inflammation can damage cells and tissues and may increase the risk of some health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis , and certain types of cancer. Dark chocolate contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body.

A small pilot study from involving five healthy people examined the effects of dark chocolate on the immune system. The results suggested that consuming large amounts of percent dark chocolate affects the activity of genes that regulate the immune response. However, it remains unclear how this study will be of practical significance. In another study from , researchers found that eating 30 g of percent dark chocolate each day for 8 weeks significantly reduced inflammatory biomarkers in people with type 2 diabetes.

The authors of the study concluded that there is a need for additional studies to evaluate the optimal amounts of dark chocolate to use to treat those with diabetes. Insulin resistance can cause abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.