Eat Chocolate! 20 Reasons It Can Be Helpful
By Bri Groves (From the Swimming World Archive)
Chocolate is often labeled as a cheat food, guilty pleasure, or rich dessert but these categorizations neglect its health benefits. To do chocolate some justice and give swimmers a couple excuses to eat this tasty treat, we’ve come up with 20 unexpected benefits that accompany chocolate consumption.
The more chocolate is processed, the fewer health benefits accompany the product. For this reason, health experts often recommend consuming varieties of unsweetened, raw dark chocolate. However, processed chocolate can still bring a superfood boost, provided there aren’t too many additives.
1.High in Antioxidants
Flavanols, naturally-occurring compounds that occur in plant foods like cocoa, act as antioxidants and help to counteract free radicals in the body.
2. Blood Pressure Benefits
Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with high stress levels or chronically elevated blood pressure.
3. Lower LDL Cholesterol
Eating dark chocolate on a regular basis has been attributed with reduction in LDL cholesterol by as much as 10%.
4. Natural Anti-Depressant
Chocolate is rich in seretonin, a natural anti-depressant. Eating chocolate also stimulates endorphin production, creating feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
5. It May Fight Cancer
Chocolate has been found to inhibit cell division and reduce inflammation in patients which may be correlated with lower risks of cancer and reduced cancer severity in patients.
6. Prevents Tooth Decay
Theobromine, a natural component of chocolate, prevents tooth decay by eliminating the oral cavity bacteria, streptococcus mutans, that contributes to tooth decay.
7. Longer Life
A Dutch study followed 200 men over 20 years and found that large chocolate consumers lived longer than those who did not. Harvard used similar methods and found the same results. Learn more about chocolate’s secrets of longevity here.
8. Less Disease
The same Harvard and Dutch studies have attributed chocolate to lower disease contraction and consequential longer lifespans.
9. High in Magnesium
Cacao is extremely high in magnesium, an important mineral that helps to regulate the digestive, neurological, and cardiovascular systems.
10. Brain Health
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that red wine and dark chocolate can protect the brain following a stroke by shielding nerve cells from further damage.
11. Higher Intelligence
A study at California’s Salk Institute found that epicatechin, a chemical in chocolate, may improve memory.
12. Cough Relief
13. Sun Protection
London researchers found that after 3 months of eating chocolate with high levels of flavanols, their subjects’ skin took twice as long to develop reddening associated with the beginning of a burn.
14. Reduced Stress
Swiss scientists found that when people with high anxiety levels ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks, their stress levels were significantly lower and the metabolic effects of stress were partially mitigated.
15. Diabetes Prevention
Theobromine, which occurs in high levels in chocolate, has been found to quiet coughs and soothe throats without the traditional side effects of medication.
16. Insulin Regulation
Frequent consumers of chocolate have been correlated with higher insulin regulation and response.
17. A Healthier Heart
In a 9-year Sweedish study of more than 31,000 women, those who ate one to two servings of dark chocolate each week were 33% less likely to experience heart failure.
18. Healthy Fats
Chocolate contains Oleic acid, a healthy monosaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
19. It Improves Vision
Chocolate improves blood flow particularly to the brain and the retina, allowing consumers to experience better shortterm vision.
20. Improves Blood Flow
Cocoa has anti-clotting and blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way to aspirin, which can improve blood flow and increase circulation.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Darian, as if you needed convincing.
? I will not be sharing this with Shiv!!!!
Maria Milner
Omg but actually though haha?
Except my doctor stated chocolate causes hot flashes for us older ladies.
Written by the same people who said feeding young swimmers lollies was a good idea. Mum eye roll.
haha classic!
Alex Fisher don’t have to tell me twice
Haha oh my gosh
See it’s good for you
Ash Stone… last one, I promise;)
Dennis Camacho Segura as if I needed reasons ….
Definitely
Braden Rider
Offffff course
Monica Bottelberghe
Samantha Parsons
Huseyin Suzan Kasif hello
K
Paule Ménard-Pelletier!!!!
Ahhahah je le savais que c’etait bon pour vous du bon chocolat!!! Maxime-olivier
Kira Melvin
Anila Mehta
Katherine Pardo
Ju Kikumoto
Steph Griffiths I think we should take up swimming ??
Dave Emmons if I saw it on the internet…?
Erin Lee Marija Robinson cacao 70??
Jake Miller
Jemma Lindquist
Brittany Biggs
Tracey Mckinstry
Sydney Fisher
Finally!!!
Emily Nicol yesssss
life complete <3
Grace Wu
Meg Senior
Finally, I can throw out all my prescription meds. Now I just have to learn how to swim.
Olivia Kate Stevens you may want to start swimming again
Maria Woo please buy me more chocolate ?
Show this to our haters Jordan Fox
not sure about the higher intelligence one ?
I’m prepared to believe!
Stacey Wardrop
Sounds good
Harry Jones
Rachael Coleman?❤
Mitchell Willsl
Jack Williams Michael Garbelotto
Stop hating on us
Jack Carr
Benjamin Wills
Sammy Gregory
Hallie Cox Horne
Leanne Peltonen – enough to make us take up swimming and be awesome like our kids, or does a bath count!!
Love it!
Nicola hahaha finally an excuse for you!! 🙂
Only twenty ?
Rachel ?
Li Sha Lotte
Nice ??
Cecilie Klingenberg
❤️
Samuel Aitken !!!!!