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Return To Chocolate Article Archive   The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolates By Charles Allen It is rare that eating chocolate is recommended for health reasons. However, quite surprisingly, dark chocolate is said to contain antioxidants that benefit your body when eaten properly. People often refer to dark chocolate as 'bittersweet' chocolate. It contains roughly 70% cocoa solids and has less or no sugar added. Since it has less or no sugar, dark chocolate is far less susceptible to heat than milk chocolate. Some recent studies suggest that eating dark chocolate provides your body with essential antioxidants that could help with getting rid of free radicals that cause premature aging. Other studies indicate that another benefit of dark chocolates is it could help with lowering bad cholesterol oxidation and reduce the risk of blood clots. The primary reason why dark chocolate have these benefits is the flavonoids it contains. A flavonoid is a ketone that one can also find in the stems, seeds, and leaves of several plants. These flavonoids are members of a class of antioxidants called polyphenols, which are also found in red wine, tea, and certain fruits and vegetables. It is estimated that dark chocolate contains eight times the levels of polyphenol antioxidants when compared with strawberries. More studies have indicated that there are reduced benefits eating dark chocolate antioxidants if it were taken with milk or if milk were part of the dark chocolate mixture. It is believed that the molecules of milk adhere themselves to the epicatechins and prevent the proper assimilation of the flavonoids by the body. Not all studies favor dark chocolates. Concerns have been raised about the possibility of dark chocolate inducing migraine attacks. However, data to fully support those concerns is still insufficient. In addition to being a pleasure on the palate, consuming fifty grams of dark chocolate made of at least 70 percent chocolate solids could provide health benefits and supplement your diet with additional iron, potassium, and calcium. About the Author: More chocolate informationand advice on using confectionary coating as a chocolate alternative. keywords: Chocolate | Chocolates | Candy Carnation Hot Chocolate

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