Aside from being delicious and sending us to cloud nine, chocolate comes with unexpected health benefits too. This is true especially if there’s a 70% concentration of cocoa or even higher.
A Sweet Way to Be Healthy
More often than not, chocolate is associated with indulgence than the nutrition it has to offer. Chocolate is originally made from cocoa beans that do contain plant nutrient called as flavonoid. And FYI, this is what giving chocolate its health benefits. Basically, there are many sources of flavonoid. They’re naturally present in:
- Fruits
- Tea
- Red wine and;
- Vegetables
According to scientists, flavonoid has anti-allergic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-viral benefits. Therefore, eating cocoa-containing foods and cocoa itself in moderation can help improve cardiovascular health.
This is for the reason that they have high volume of flavanols that have the previously mentioned properties.
Atrial Fibrillation? Bring it On!
According to a study performed by American Heart Association, there are roughly 2.7 million people who are suffering from atrial fibrillation. This is irregular or quivering heartbeat that may eventually lead to stroke, blood clots, heart failure as well as other cardiovascular problems.
Since flavanols help in lowering blood pressure while assisting in enhancing blood circulation, chocolate can be used in reducing risk of heart disease as well as other heart problems like atrial fibrillation.