Well, I’m totally bummed. This afternoon I tucked a small nugget of dark chocolate in my pocket. I like dark chocolate much better when it’s warm and soft, and I’d planned it as a treat after I finished my lunch.
Lunch was finished and I got caught up in something. Two hours later I stood up and though “What’s in my pocket?” I reached in and mashed the chocolate all over my hand and the inside of my pocket. Dang it! That was perfectly good chocolate gone to waste!
In honor of my lost chocolate I thought it was a good time to talk about the recent developments in science. Namely- dark chocolate is actually good for us. Hah! And your mother tried to tell you it was junk food.
So, what’s all the fuss?
Well, as it turns out dark chocolate (not white or milk chocolate) contains several nutrients that are healthy. These nutrients are available through other food sources such as fruits and vegetables, but they seem to be more concentrated in cocoa. The nutrient of greatest interest right now is flavonoid, a form of antioxidant.
Antioxidants are nutrients our body uses to take care of free radicals (destructive molecules) in our bodies. Our body’s ability to deal with free radicals helps determine our ability to fight diseases such as hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer and dementia.
The jury is still out on whether or not chocolate actually improves your love life, but hey, if it puts you in a better mood (another benefit of chocolate), I say it certainly can’t hurt.
But before you run out to stock up on dark chocolate remember these key points.
The darker, the better.
The more bitter, the better.
If a number is given, antioxidants are measured in an ORAC (oxygen-radical absorbance capacity) value- the higher the better.
Chocolate from Europe tends to have greater health benefits.
Watch your calorie intake, a little can go a long way.
Don’t wash it down with milk. Some researchers feel that milk (or the calcium in it) actually interferes with the absorption of the antioxidants.
Now, go have a piece of dark chocolate, while I mourn the loss of mine.
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