An apple a day  

Did you know that the scientic name for cocoa tree is Theobroma cacao and the word "Theobroma" is Latin for "food of the gods."
Chocolates...yummy...chocolates. I just love dark chocolates, they are slightly bitter and much better than milk chocolate as i find most milk chocolate too sweet. I guess it's because more sugar is added than milk.
Moreover, dark chocolate has fewer calories than milk chocolate and it has more than twice anti-oxidant properties than milk chocolate. This means that it can protect the heart and arteries from oxidative damage. However, adding milk to chocolate may cancel out these health benefits.
Chocolate and cocoa butter contain two main saturated fats (palmitic and stearic acids) and one mono-unsaturated fat (oleic acid). Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid is a neutral fat and does not appear to raise bad cholesterol (LDL). Oleic acid is the same type of fat in olive oil and may actually raise good cholesterol levels (HDL).
Scientists found the key ingredient, theobromine, is nearly a third more effective in stopping persistent coughs than the leading medicine codeine but it only works for certain types of coughs.
Researchers found that a chemical, "catechins" (polyphenolic substances, an anti-oxidant) found in chocolate are believed to protect against heart disease, some cancer and decreasing the effects of aging on the brain. So eating products that contain them could have health benefits. Up till now tea was thought to contain the largest amount of catechins but the new research indicates that dark chocolates has four times as many. The chemical called phenols found in chocolate, reduces the presence of free radicals that damage cells and DNA, carrying diseases.
Great news for moms-to-be...scientists in Finland say eating chocolate during pregnancy may make happier, livelier babies. This is derived after a test done on 300 pregnant women.
However, chocolate is high in calories and eating too much can therefore make you put on some pounds, increasing risk of heart disease. Well, too much of anything is bad, just have to make sure it is moderately consumed.
At the end of the day, eating chocolates makes me happy and i believe it does reduces my stress level.

Read out more about Chocolates in CHOCOLATE HEALTH FACTS if you want to find the answers for these questions...
Does chocolate cause cavities?
Will I live longer if I eat chocolate?
Does chocolate cause acne?
Will eating chocolate make me fat?

Labels: food