The benefits of chocolate (heart)
Chocolate has a multitude of benefits, mainly for our health, our brain and our skin. Here we will focus on the benefits it brings to the heart as well as its impact on sports performance.
First of all, it is important to clarify that the choice of chocolate is essential, choose a chocolate containing at least 60% cocoa and around 30 to 50 grams per day. In small doses, the benefits will be even greater. So zoom in on these famous benefits.
Maintain your heart and physical performance
Everyone has their favorite method for having a healthy heart. From physical activity and nutrition to relaxation and meditation, there are a multitude of factors that can be combined for a positive impact.
We focus on the little extra that chocolate can bring to your diet to protect your heart and improve your sporting abilities.
Regarding the protection of the cardiovascular system, thanks to the flavonoids that chocolate contains, it protects the heart as well as the arteries. In fact, it helps maintain the flexibility of the arteries and limit the risk of atherosclerosis, which helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 37% and the risk of stroke by at least 48%. Flavonoids contained in chocolate such as catechin and epicatechin stimulate the production of nitric acid by our body. This causes our blood vessels to dilate and thus lower blood pressure significantly.
It is also for these same reasons that chocolate improves sporting abilities. As explained above, the flavonoids contained in chocolate promote the dilation of blood vessels which reduces oxygen consumption. The performance of athletes is better and can be increased by eating 40 grams of chocolate per day. We can also note that chocolate reduces stress, and thus reduces the rise in cortisol which is responsible for cramps and declines in performance.
Far from the clichés associated with industrial chocolate, conscious and qualitative consumption remains an asset in maintaining quality of life.
The benefits of chocolate (skin)
We continue our exploration of the benefits of chocolate by focusing on its impact on our nutrition and our skin.
Remember that the choice of chocolate is essential: choose a chocolate containing at least 60% cocoa and around 30 to 50 grams per day. In small doses, the benefits will be even greater. So zoom in on these famous benefits.
Skin aging and diet
Our skin is subject to numerous external attacks (sun, cold, micro-organisms, pollution, etc.) as well as internal factors (stress, illnesses, etc.). When listing the actions and measures we can take to protect our skin against premature aging, powerful antioxidants are often forgotten despite their ability to neutralize free radicals responsible for oxidative stress and premature aging of cells.
Thus, chocolate is one of the foods richest in flavonoids, they play the role of antioxidants contained in cocoa powder in the amount of approximately 10%, therefore they limit the oxidation process of the body's cells. These are beneficial for the prevention of certain diseases such as cancer and help fight against premature aging of cells. In addition, the antioxidants contained in chocolate are 2 to 3 times more effective than those contained in green tea or wine.
Contrary to popular belief, it is also stated that no study has demonstrated a link between chocolate and acne or rash. The appearance of imperfections would be more linked to too high a concentration of fast sugar being pro-inflammatory.
When it comes to maintaining our figure, we must look to the catechin contained in chocolate. It is one of the antioxidants contained in chocolate, helping to keep a dynamic body by acting on muscle refinement and therefore weight loss .
Dark chocolate is most suitable for use as a youth food, with white and milk chocolate being too low in cocoa content. So choose artisan chocolatiers who will offer you high-quality cocoa from the best terroirs to benefit from the benefits of chocolate.
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