Chocolate with benefits, yes, it's possible!
A food with the ability to improve our mood and make us feel happier. A food that makes us fall in love and still keeps our heart in perfect working order. A dream? No... chocolate! Especially when it contains a high cocoa content, as in Zesty chocolates.
Discover the benefits of high cocoa chocolate:
1- Reduces the risk of heart diseases
A study published in The BMJ suggests that chocolate consumption can help reduce the risk of heart diseases by one-third. Based on observations, the authors concluded that higher levels of chocolate consumption may be associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders.
2- Can help reduce blood pressure
Enjoying dark chocolate can lower blood pressure. The cocoa in dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help the body produce nitric oxide, a substance that helps relax blood vessels and consequently lowers high blood pressure. The same study concluded that this positive effect occurs even with a small dose of cocoa (less than 30g per day).
3- Improves mood
The feeling of well-being, fulfillment, and peace that a piece of chocolate provides is due to the brain hormones that chocolate triggers. Yes, chocolate releases the famous endorphins, the happiness hormones.
4- Reduces stress
Chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa contains valeric acid, which can act as a tranquilizer. Therefore, a small dose of chocolate can have a calming effect.
5- Improves physical performance
The results of a study published in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition attest that dark chocolate can increase oxygen availability during sports performance. The research conducted in the UK concluded that after consuming dark chocolate, athletes consumed less oxygen during moderate-grade cycling and covered a greater distance in 2-minute time trials.