Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Sometimes it seems hard to balance the perfect workout with your diet. If you're not a big meal eater like me, it just creates even more difficulties! But take it slow. Sometimes it's better, in fact, to eat 5-6 small meals or boosters rather than plowing through three big meals. Trust me, your digestive system will thank you later! I think it's about finding the RIGHT balance. After all, no body or metabolism is the same. Find the little joys. Like eating dark chocolate. If you view it negatively, it's a splurge, yes. But if you do a little research, you'll find that there ARE benefits to chocolate! It's no secret that research on dark chocolate over the years has yielded some health benefits. Take a look.

1. Natural dark chocolate (not milk chocolate--you want a high cacao content) contains a chemical called PEA (we'll keep it short), which causes the brain to release endorphins. Wow, who knew?

2. Flavonoids are a type of plant metabolite that increases your body's ability to utilize insulin. Guess what? They exist in natural dark chocolate! Its low glycemic index can also help to prevent big spikes in blood sugar.

3. It has been proven that eating dark chocolate each week can help decrease your chances of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and improving blood flow.

4. Dark chocolate contains vitamins and minerals essential to health: magnesium, copper, iron, and potassium. Potassium keeps the heartbeat in check.

5. Dark chocolate contains high levels of antioxidants, like resveratrol, which destroy free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause cell damage.

6. Unlike most sweets that ruin tooth enamel, dark chocolate contains theobromine, which maintains hard tooth enamel. Once tooth enamel is lost, it cannot be replaced.