Dark chocolate, unlike milk chocolate, is much healthier due to its cocoa content. It contains little to no sugar and is good for the cardiovascular system.
The heart and dark chocolate
Many studies are conducted on the subject of dark chocolate. Among other things, they found that dark chocolate has a high falavanole content and is good for heart health. Research has shown that even heart transplant patients had an improved flow rate of blood, blood clotting and the entire circulation.
The flavanols
The plant active ingredient that has these effects on the body is the flavanols. These are powerful acts of antioxidants. They have a positive effect on heart health. They are found in tea, red wine, fruits and vegetables. In the dark chocolate, you ensure that it becomes bitter. Commercial chocolate manufacturers therefore often remove them. A lot of sugar added also neutralizes the effect that the flavanols achieve.
The comparison to light chocolate
Compared to light chocolate, there are significantly more flavanols in the dark version. It must be said that the health effect is also linked to sugar and fat. Cocoa in dark chocolate in particular has an antioxidant effect. Conventional chocolate has negative consequences on health. The positive effects are often neutralized by this.
The saturation effect
The calories are only one part that has an impact on the nutritional value of chocolate. For example, 100 g of milk chocolate contains 5 g of proteins and 60 g of sugar. A dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 100% contains 0.6 g of sugar and 12 g of proteins. Dark chocolate is always healthier than milk chocolate. It satisfies the hunger for sweet and fatty food and gives longer-term energy. It ensures that the blood sugar level drops only slowly. The brain only sends out the hunger signals that arise from the consumption of sweets later. Dark chocolate usually causes a slowly rising and falling blood sugar level. Here, due to health reasons, flavanoids play a major role again.
Effects on the arteries
In the cocoa bean, there are plant substances that dilate the vessels and allow the blood to flow unhindered. This means that it works against hardening of the arteries and arteriosclerosis. It is important to eat fewer other sweets and then enjoy a piece of dark chocolate. This should have at least a cocoa content of 70%.
The dark chocolate and stroke risk
Due to the health active ingredients and the associated effect, the flexibility of the arteries improves. The blood flow is not disturbed and the dark chocolate thus reduces the risk of stroke. Only a few chocolate chips are necessary during the day. The plant substances break up blood clots and prevent a stroke.
Dark chocolate and stressors
Another point that affects with the chocolate is the stress. The dark chocolate ensures that the proportion of released stress hormones is reduced. This calms the soul and ensures less stress.
Dark chocolate and the mood
Chocolate makes you happy and this applies not only to milk chocolate, but also to dark chocolate. It ensures that the body emits more serotonin, the happiness hormone. It thus ensures a good mood, which is due to the ingredient tryptophan.
Result
Whether it fixes iron deficiency, lowers the risk of cancer or promotes overall health, dark chocolate is in any case beneficial to health than milk chocolate. The cocoa content contains healthy ingredients that increasingly ensure a special body. That’s why it makes sense to eat a piece of chocolate with a higher cocoa content, just to be able to publicly prevent a stroke. In addition, the fact also applies here: Chocolate makes you happy!