6 Healthy Reasons To Eat Chocolate Every Day

6 Healthy Reasons To Eat Chocolate Every Day

If you've been trying to ban chocolate from your new diet, you might want to reconsider. Keep reading to see why chocolate is actually good for your health!

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Unless you’re one of the lucky few people in the world to be born without a sweet tooth, you probably spend most days trying not to eat chocolate.

Chocolate is the ultimate comfort food, mood-booster, and go-to dessert—you really can’t go wrong with it…unless you eat too much of it.

Like anything else, too much chocolate is bad for you. But that doesn’t mean it’s not healthy!

In fact, plenty of recent research shows that chocolate is a lot healthier than previously thought. So, if you’ve been trying to banish it from your diet—don’t!

Dark chocolate, with a cocoa percentage of 70 per cent or more, is good for both the heart and brain, and it may even help fight diabetes and obesity.

Before you throw out your secret chocolate stash, here are just 6 great reasons why you should start eating dark chocolate every day:

  1. It’s Calming: If you’ve ever felt more relaxed after taking a bite of chocolate, you’re not alone! According to a study from The Journal of Psychopharmacology, people who eat chocolate regularly are naturally calmer than those who don’t.
  2. It Lowers Blood Pressure: There’s a bitter substance in chocolate called theobromine, which scientists over at Yale University say has been shown to keep blood pressure in check. One particular study found that people who snack on chocolate tend to keep an even level of blood pressure.
  3. It Can Protect Your Skin: While it won’t replace a bottle of sunscreen, a German study on women found that chocolate can actually act as light protection against the sun. The researchers also claim that chocolate decreases the harmful effects of UV rays by up to 20 per cent.
  4. It’s Rich In Vitamins: Most people already know that dark chocolate is packed with healthy antioxidants. But did you know that it also contains tons of essential vitamins and minerals? Aside from natrium and zinc, dark chocolate is also a healthy source of calcium and magnesium.
  5. It Protects Your Heart: Many health experts agree that chocolate has the power to protect against cardiovascular diseases. In fact, a study at San Diego State University found that people who ate 50 grams of dark chocolate every day for two weeks had lower levels of bad cholesterol and lowered their blood sugar.
  6. It Can Make You Happy: Well, obviously chocolate makes you happier, but now there’s science to back up your feelings! According to the American study, “Chocolate Happiness Undergoing More Pleasantness,” people actually feel much happier after eating a piece of chocolate.

Did you know that chocolate was this healthy? Tell us in the comments!

Photo Copyright © 2009 Siona Karen/Flickr

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