It is in all the movies, when the heroine is down on her luck she turns to a big box of chocolates. The chocolate makes her feel better, but she kicks herself the next day for the indulgence. If only Hollywood writers understood how healthy chocolate can be, maybe the character would be thrilled about all the health benefits she just reaped instead of worried about the calories!
There are many myths and facts surrounding chocolate. Some say it causes weight gain and acne, while other say it promotes heart health and increases endorphins. So what are you to believe? You should believe the scientific evidence that shows that chocolate is beneficial for your health if you eat it the right way.
You will find truth in the myth that chocolate will make you gain weight. But almost every food will make you gain weight if you eat too much of it. Moderation is the key. A little chocolate is good for your health, but too much of a good thing can be harmful. About the other myth that chocolate makes you break out, there is no truth to this one at all. Keep your face clean and free of dirt and bacteria and you will have fewer breakouts.
One thing must be noted about chocolate and the health benefits. To get the full benefits of chocolate, you need to eat it in its purest form. That means any chocolate that has been heavily processed with milk, sugar and other additives is not really chocolate. Not in the healthy sense anyway. Although milk chocolate is delicious, it is full of other things that counteract the health benefits. So even though you may reap some good from milk chocolate, the bad things in it will rule out the good!
Pure, dark chocolate is the best for you. It is full of flavonoids and other antioxidants that help rid your body of free radicals that can cause cellular damage. Dark cocoa products have also been shown to help lower cholesterol since it has a type of a kind of monounsaturated fat, called oleic acid that actually raises your good cholesterol.
In addition, healthy cocoa products really do boost your mood and help you feel better when you are down. Even just the smell of chocolate can be a great stress reliever and relaxant. So not only do cocoa products boost your physical health, they are good for your mental health as well.
So eat chocolate all you like, just make sure it is the dark variety. Just like the heroine in the movie, you will feel better both physical and emotionally.