A Healthy Love Affair: Chocolate

Posted on 21. Jun, 2010 by Fitness Guru in Women's Fitness

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Special to Lifescript
Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s sweet, goes down smoothly and seems to even have soul-soothing properties. Women especially have a love affair with this cocoa concoction. Fortunately, science shows that chocolate loves us too! Dark chocolate, in particular, is the source of all of the excitement.

Eating dark chocolate improves blood vessel health and can help prevent high blood pressure. This lowers your risk of heart disease and keeps your heart pumping nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to your entire body. Dark chocolate, which has more cocoa than milk chocolate, is rich in flavonoids. These antioxidant compounds block free radicals and fight disease. Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate also combats plaque buildup by preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Worried about breaking the calorie bank by indulging in chocolate? Don’t be! Three pieces of Dove Dark Chocolate has less than 100 calories. So, in light of this delicious evidence, don’t be afraid to reach for some dark chocolate when you’re craving something sweet to eat.

Just remember: The higher the percentage of cocoa it contains, the more flavonoids it’ll have to offer. As always, enjoy in moderation!

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