"Peanuts" cartoonist Charles M. Schulz once wrote, "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." He was onto something: chocolate offers a wealth of health benefits. This sweet treat is a quite popular in the United States -- on average, Americans eat around 12 pounds of chocolate per person each year, according to Gourmet Sleuth. Whether it's for the rich taste or health advantages, consuming chocolate in moderation may be good for you.
Benefits for Smokers
Including chocolate in your diet may offer particular benefits to smokers. A study in the October 2005 "Journal of the American College of Cardiology" notes that phytochemicals known as flavonols, a compound found in chocolate, may help reverse damage to blood vessels caused by smoking. Malte Kelm, M.D., a researcher with the Heinrich-Heine-University in Duesseldorf, Germany, told ScienceDaily in September 2005, "We believe that one exciting outcome of this study is the demonstration that flavonol-rich cocoa can significantly improve an important marker of cardiovascular health in a population with an established cardiovascular risk factor." Choose chocolate high in flavonols to get these benefits -- dark chocolate or plain cocoa beans contain the most.
Benefits for Skin
Eating chocolate high in flavonols also may help keep you looking younger for longer. Scientists from the London University of the Arts in the United Kingdom say consuming flavanol-rich chocolate on a regular basis may protect your skin from ultraviolet light in sunshine because of the antioxidant effects of flavonols. The results were published in the September 2009 edition of the "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology." Participants in the study consumed chocolate over a 12-week period.
Benefits for Pregnant Women
If you're pregnant and at risk of pre-eclampsia, eating chocolate could decrease your risk of developing this condition. Research published in the August 2010 "Annals of Epidemiology" journal demonstrates that women interviewed for the study who reported eating higher amounts of chocolate had lower levels of pre-eclampsia, which is marked by high blood pressure in the pregnant woman and can be fatal to the fetus. Researchers believe theobromine, a chemical in chocolate, causes blood vessels to dilate. This action helps maintain blood pressure.
Benefits for Metabolism
Incorporating chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, into your diet may improve your metabolism. A study in the October 2009 issue of the "Journal of Proteome Research" reports that study participants who consumed 40 g of dark chocolate over a two week period showed a considerable metabolic change. Dr. Serge Rezzi, a researcher with the Metabonomics and Biomarkers Group at the Nestlé Research Center, told NutraIngredients that this metabolic change has "potential long term health benefits." Consumption of chocolate also reduced stress-associated hormones in study participants.
References
- Gourmet Sleuth: Chocolate
- "ScienceDaily; Flavanols Key To Potential Chocolate Benefits; Sept 29, 2005
- "Journal of the American College of Cardiology"; Acute...Smokers; C Heiss, MD et al; Oct 2005
- "Annals of Epidemiology"; Does Chocolate...Hypertension?; A Saftlas Ph.D. et al; Aug 2010
- "Daily Mail Online"; A Regular...Prematurely; P Hagan; July 9, 2010
- "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology"; Eating...UV Light; S Williams et al; Sept 2009
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