Being a parent these days is difficult. You find your child running towards the chocolates counter in the mall. We too give in to their demands oblivious to health effects of chocolate. It includes both positive and negative effects. Chocolate is regularly eaten for pleasure but one must monitor the amount of consumption. We discuss the pluses and minuses of eating unrestrained chocolates.
Health Benefits of chocolates
Chocolates and your health
- Dark chocolate benefits the blood circulatory system.
- Cocoa or dark bitter chocolate has anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and anti diarrhoeal properties
- Dark chocolate with it high cocoa content is a rich source of the flavonoids, epicatechin and gallic acid which contain cardio protective properties.
- Cocoa butter contains small amounts of the plant sterols sitosterol and stigmasterol, which may help inhibit the absorption of dietary cholesterol.
- Unlike the saturated fats found in meat and dairy, the saturated fats in dark chocolate do not elevate cholesterol levels.
- The flavonoids in chocolate prevent the excessive clumping together of blood platelets that can cause blood clots.
- Chocolate contains significant amounts of the amino acid arginine which is required in the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to dilate, which helps to regulate blood flow, inflammation and blood pressure.
Disadvantages of chocolates
- Increases the risk of obesity
- absorbs lead from the environment during production and there is a slight chance of mild lead poisoning for some types of chocolate.
- chocolate is toxic to many animals like dogs, cats, horses, parrots and small rodents, because of insufficient capacity to metabolize theobromine. These animals are unable to metabolize or break down this ingredient so if they should eat it and it stays in their system for up to 20 hours, the animal will experience seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding and eventually death
- A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one’s mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended.
- Chocolate is a calorie rich food with a high sugar and fat content, so regular consumption of chocolate requires reducing the caloric intake of other foods.
- Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have addictive properties e.g sugar, theobromine and caffeine which are stimulating and mood elevating and phenethylamine which can cause endorphin releases in the brain
- Chocolate has been linked to nervous tension as well as migraine headaches because it contains compounds known as vasoactive amines that can dilate brain vessels triggering headaches in susceptible individuals.
- It has high levels of arginine which is required in the replication of the herpes virus. Chocolate should be avoided by those with active or recurring herpes infections.
- Chocolate causes or aggravates acne so individuals suffering from this should limit chocolate eating or stay entirely away from it.
