The chocolate egg hunt is an opportunity to treat yourself to little sweet treats. Often presented as too sweet and too high in calories, chocolate, especially dark chocolate, if consumed in moderation, is good for heart health and can even improve cognitive abilities.
- In moderation, chocolate helps keep blood vessels in the heart healthy.
- Regularly consuming chocolate with at least 60% cocoa improves attention.
- Too caloric, its excessive consumption leads to weight gain, to clog the arteries and causes gastroesophageal reflux.
The Easter weekend is the occasion to carry out the traditional chocolate egg hunt. Often presented as too caloric, too sweet, chocolate can also be a good ally for our health. One of the reasons is to be found on the side of cocoa powder, rich in flavonoids which are antioxidants known for their anti-inflammatory properties and the premature aging of cells.
One to two squares of chocolate per day
Eating chocolate is good for the heart. A consumption which, if it remains moderate at the rate of once a week, reduces the risk of onset of heart disease. In a study published on July 22 in theEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology, American researchers have shown that chocolate helps keep blood vessels in the heart healthy. The results of these analyzes showed that consuming chocolate once a week is associated with an 8% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. An abuse of this food leads to caloric excesses and can lead to clogging of the arteries and cause cardiovascular diseases.
To best capture the benefits of chocolate, you must target those with a high percentage of cocoa beans, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular accidents. The more a chocolate is concentrated in cocoa beans, the more it is rich in minerals, such as magnesium. Dark chocolate contains at least 30% cocoa while milk chocolate contains 20%. White chocolate, made exclusively with cocoa butter, contains none at all. The French Federation of Cardiology thus advises to consume one to two squares of chocolate per day.
Better attention
Chocolate helps boost cognitive abilities. In 2016, a study published in the journal Appetite suggested that regularly consuming chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content improves attention. The researchers even observed in regular consumers a better visual memory, a better organization, as well as a better working memory. Their reasoning skills were also better compared to those of people who consumed chocolate infrequently or not at all. The lead author of the study even suggests perceptible benefits on a daily basis, such as better remembering a phone number, a shopping list, or strengthening one’s multitasking abilities. Cocoa flavanols are still shown to be responsible for these benefits.
Chocolate also contains several substances that serve to fight against depression. It contains in particular serotonin which is prescribed against depression. A study dated July 29, 2019, published in the journal Depression & Anxiety suggests that people who consume dark chocolate have 70% fewer depressive symptoms. The researchers add that they have not found a causal link, but simply observational. “Extensive research is needed to understand the link: it could be whether depression reduces people’s cravings for chocolate or other factors, which could decrease the likelihood of people being depressed and eating dark chocolate at the same time”, wrote Sarah Jackson, lead author of the study.
Beware of excess
Beware of excess chocolate which is bad for your health. Too high in calories, its excessive consumption leads to weight gain and clog the arteries. Chocolate can also lead to gastroesophageal reflux, especially if consumed in the evening. Cocoa butter promotes relaxation of the upper sphincter.
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