Looking for the brightness inside Darkness: Health Perks of Dark Chocolate

By Dr. Alitta Prasad,
Doctor of Pharmacy.

‘Do you want to have dark chocolate? That chocolate tastes bitter! Oh no! I don’t want that.”
This could be the approach of many people towards dark chocolate. However, it’s time to appreciate that, the simplest road to be taken to get all the nutrients after consuming chocolates is to consume the unsweetened version of it. This bitter form of chocolates may not be the best treat that you will provide for your tongue, but after knowing its nutritional profile and health benefits, there’s nothing to feel bad about the attack you probably did to your tongue!

 What does a dark chocolate contain?

Dark chocolate contains several compounds that possess antioxidant properties, like flavanols and polyphenols. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress refers to the damage the excessive amounts of free radicals can inflict on cells and tissues within the body. It contributes to the natural aging process. Over time, the results of oxidative stress can also contribute to the event of a spread of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and eye-related problems

• Helps in weight reduction

It reduces the digestion and absorption of fats and carbs, thereby increasing satiety. There are conditions when women who are normal weight obese, i.e., when the body mass index is normal but has excess body fat, so in order to reduce the weight circumference, consumption of dark chocolate is useful However the amount matters! Just 100 grams of dark chocolate contains around 600 calories. So, do not have more than one cube of dark chocolate in a day.

• Protects your skin

The flavanols in dark chocolate can guard the skin against sun damage. It has photo-protection properties and also it increases dermal blood circulation.

• Prevents Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance arises when the body’s cells stop responding to the hormone insulin. It causes abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to the pre-diabetic stage and type II diabetes. Consuming 48 g of 70-percent dark chocolate each day helps in lowering fasting glucose levels and also reduces insulin resistance.

• Enriches your mood

The three mood boosters present in dark chocolates are Phenethylamine, Theobromine and Anandamide Phenethylamine get metabolized in your body to serotonin. Serotonin is one of the most vital mood-regulating chemicals your body can produce. If your body lacks in serotonin, supplementing with phenethylamine, through chocolate can help bring you back to baseline. Theobromine, when consumed in larger amounts, can cause a dip in blood pressure, excitability and give energy and because of this property often people get addicted to it. However, Anandamide can still provide a mood and energy boost, without the addiction and cardiovascular damage that comes with other stimulating substances.

• Improves the Good Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol in our bodies. HDL, the good one and LDL, the bad one.  When LDL cholesterol is oxidized, the LDL itself becomes reactive which causes damage to your arteries and other organs. Dark chocolates have been shown to prevent the oxidization of LDL cholesterol, which is one of the greatest contributors to atherogenesis, a condition in which there is the formation of fatty deposits in the arteries. Say ‘NO’ to reactive LDL by saying ‘YES’ to antioxidants which are available in plenty in these chocolates and protect your body!

• Suppresses your cough

Another interesting health perk of dark chocolate is its ability to suppress the cough. Cocoa exhibits demulcent properties, i.e. it is stickier and dense in nature and hence it forms a thick coating which protects the nerve endings within the throat and therefore ceases the urge to cough.

• Reduces complications during pregnancy

Preeclampsia, a condition in pregnancy when there is an elevation in blood pressure, is one of the complications during pregnancy. Theobromine, present in dark chocolate can stimulate the heart and it aids arteries to dilate. So when a pregnant woman consumes dark chocolate, there is a 40% less chance of developing this complication.

• Enhances your memory power

After you consume dark chocolate, the flavanols present in it gets absorbed, and it enters and accumulates in your brain, especially in the regions involved in learning and memory, i.e. hippocampus, Flavanols present in dark chocolate improves the cognitive function.

Yes, it does. Due to the caffeine content in dark chocolates, it can lead to ill effects like nervousness, sleeplessness, faster heartbeat. Also, there are people who are allergic to cocoa; they may experience allergic skin reactions, triggers a migraine, etc

After seeing a list of health benefits of dark chocolate, do you think this is a perfect remedy for the treatment of the diseases mentioned above?  Of course No! It just helps in improving the various conditions.

So, to conclude, Dark chocolate is a nourishing delicacy. It contains important antioxidants that promote human health. But it also comes with too many calories. Hence, the right amount you consume is a matter of concern. Ensure you have not consumed more than an ounce (or even half) in a day to enjoy its values without any issues.

Craving for some chocolates? Then it’s time to grab some dark chocolate. Remember, More Darker More Beneficial!!

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