There are significant health benefits to dark chocolate.  According to research studies, chocolate provides clues to fighting disease.  Your health and well-being can be enhanced while you savor and enjoy chocolate.   Below, you’ll see how research involving chocolate consumption can help conditions such as high cholesterol, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Chocolate and Cancer

The same antioxidants found in wine and green tea are found in raw cacao and dark chocolate.  Antioxidants protect cells from toxins, slow the growth of cancer cells, and help reduce cancer risks and heart disease.   The greater the amount of cacao contained in chocolate, the more antioxidants it has.  (Note: White chocolate does not contain antioxidants, so look for dark chocolate instead).

Chocolate and Cholesterol

While many foods high in saturated fats are known to raise cholesterol levels, studies have shown that chocolate consumption does not.  This is due to the type of saturated fat  chocolate contains.   Less harmful saturated fat in one’s diet means plaque that can gather in the arteries.  In fact, studies have shown that dark chocolate may in fact boost good cholesterol.

Chocolate and Depression

The fat naturally found in chocolate helps provide a feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction, releasing mood-enhancing endorphins.  Chocolate also may help relieve symptoms of anxiety.  It  is thought to have an opiate effect  that may help improve mood.  A study conducted on patients who were depressed showed that the dark chocolate provided relief from their symptoms.

Chocolate and Circulation

Since the chemicals in dark chocolate help prevent the formation blood platelets, the chance of blood clots is minimized.  In addition, blood pressure may be lowered with a regular consumption of dark chocolate each day.   This is a result of the flavonoids present in cacao that help with circulation.  Keep in mind that flavonoids are lower in milk chocolate than dark chocolate. 

How Much Chocolate Can You Have?

Include 1 ounce of dark chocolate per day to your diet.  Select your chocolate carefully, ensuring that there are no refined sugars or hydrogenated oils, which have undesirable health effects.  Also, look for  a high percentage of cacao (70% or above).  Remember that chocolate does have calories, so make necessary modifications to your calorie intake.

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Who says you can’t have chocolate and stay healthy?  Those who eat dark chocolate can lower their blood pressure and fight off heart disease.  It fights free radicals, too.  Unlike other types of chocolate, dark chocolate is packed full of antioxidants, the molecules that eliminate free radicals that lead to all types of diseases.  It has eight times the amount of antioxidants than strawberries, making it a superfood for its disease fighting qualities.  But hold the milk; studies show that milk interferes with the absorption of antioxidants.

Dark chocolate contains flavanoids called procyanidins and epicatechins; these are specific kinds of antioxidants known as polyphenols that are found in red wine, tea, and many fruits and vegetables.  It also increases the blood flow in the arteries and helps reduce the risk of blood clots.  If you have mildly high blood pressure, dark chocolate may help reduce it.  The serotonin found in it can boost your mood and increase feelings of pleasure, also triggering a rise in endorphins.  Nutritionally speaking, calcium, magnesium and potassium are another benefit of consuming dark chocolate on a regular basis.

While dark chocolate does contain fat, the type of fat present plays a large role in its health benefits.  Oleic acid, which is also found in olive oil, is the fat that helps reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.  Stearic acid is also a fat, but it is said to have a neutral effect on cholesterol, not affecting it at all.  The only type of fat to watch out for is palmiric acid, which can increase the risk for heart disease.  This only makes up one third of the fat content in dark chocolate.

This doesn’t mean that you can eat as much chocolate as you wish.  Dark chocolate is still high in calories and fat, no matter how beneficial the fat may be.  If you are looking for quick weight loss, you might want to keep this out of your diet.  If you do choose to eat it, the dark chocolate will replace something else in your diet and you will need to cut those calories out.  If cravings or hunger are a problem, you might want to add a natural appetite suppressant like hoodia.  This will keep you feeling full so you don’t overeat.

Chocolate diet was introduced by Italian dietitians. The duration of chocolate diet is from 5 to 7 days; after that you should make a break for 4 days, but 6-days break is preferable. You are allowed to drink only in 3 hours after eating.

The menu of chocolate diet
Chocolate diet allows the mixing of these products, as well having snacks between the main meals. The products can be eaten in any form. For example, eat whole fruit for breakfast on Monday, make a fruit salad on Tuesday morning, and mark the start of Wednesday with applesauce. The remarkable feature of chocolate diet is that starvation becomes anti-productive. That means you need not starve yourself, it is even prohibited. Hence it appears the formal permission to have snacks between the main meals. Chocolate can help you to stay alert and energized. To say the true, you cannot exceed the specified standard which is 30 g per day. There is no strict time frame for the chocolate diet; you can reduce on it for about a week, on the average.

Approximate daily list of products for chocolate diet:
• Pasta (spaghetti, noodles, shells and other solid pasta);
• Sauces for pasta (with a low-fat, mostly without the meat, with an exceptions of small pieces of white meat);
• Salads (filled with fatless sauces, without crackers);
• Vegetables;
• Fresh fruit;
• Popcorn (cooked without oil and salt); Toppings (supplements) for popcorn may include fatless oil and vegetable supplements, powdered garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, chili peppers, hard parmesan.
• Chocolate (30 g per day);
• Water (2 liters a day).

Sample of menu for chocolate diet:
Breakfast: Fresh fruit, fruit salad, wheat flakes with skimmed milk and strawberries.
Snack between main meals: popcorn, fruit.
Lunch: salad, pasta salad, spaghetti.
Snack between main meals: popcorn, vegetable assortment, fruit cocktail (0.5 0f fresh banana, 0.5 cup of peaches or other fruits to choose from, 1 cup of skimmed milk).
Dinner: fettuccini with garlic and tomato sauce or any other whole grained pasta, salad, vegetables, cooked by steaming or boiled.
Snack between main meals: popcorn, chocolate.
During the day: water, sparkling water, mineral water. Find various useful diets for weight loss at Ideal Weight Blog.

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In case you haven’t heard – dark chocolates have grown in demand recently due to studies showing the incredible health benefits of chocolate consumption as well as the fact that it is a lower fat chocolate!  More and more people are now including dark chocolates in their diet. So in addition to the fact that eating chocolates can give you feelings of relaxation and a natural high, dark chocolates can actually promote good health. What is it that makes dark chocolate a healthy choice? The answer lies in the ingredients of dark chocolates which include more cacao, less sugar and no milk additives. These ingredients are the reason why the expression “plain chocolate” is frequently used to refer to talk about dark chocolates. With all these health benefits attributed to dark chocolates, is there a catch that you need to be aware of?

The latest studies show that eating 1.6-ounce of dark chocolate daily have several health benefits. In fact it may begin to replace eating apples as a way to avoid getting sick! The results show that the flavonoids content of dark chocolates can lower the risks of heart diseases because it promotes blood clotting.  That in turn helps increase the blood flow through the heart. Secondly, dark chocolates can help in lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  It gives you feelings of greater relaxation and acts as natural anti-depressant.  Other benefits include: enhanced digestion and appetite, reduction in potential cancers, higher levels of antioxidants in the body, lessening in the decline of brain activity due to age, and potential aid in the treatment of anemia and kidney stones, among several other ailments.

What makes dark chocolate healthy?  Basically it is the natural components of dark chocolate which comes from the plant seeds of cacao. These components carry the same benefits you get from eating fruits and vegetables. Additionally, dark chocolates are healthy to eat is because their ingredient mix is different from the regular commercial chocolates. High quality gourmet chocolates include dark chocolates which are made with cacao and mixed with less milk, less sugar, and nougats or caramel as found in several popular chocolate bars. On top of this, the dark chocolate substance called flavonoids is believed to have more antioxidants than those found in other fruits such as strawberries. This health factor can also help lower blood pressure and balance some hormones in your body.

So with all of these good things said, is there a catch to eating dark chocolates? Not really, though there is a precaution – that too much of anything is still bad for anyone. Eating too much dark chocolate can still be fattening even though only 1/3 of its fat is bad for your health. Consuming dark chocolates by the pound will definitely increase your calorie intake and will convert into unwanted pounds if it isn’t outweighed by your amount of exercise! Better cut out or lessen other foods in your diet to make room for dark chocolates if you are not satisfied with the recommended 1.6 ounce daily intake.

Aside from all of these health benefits, eating dark chocolates is definitely an experience more pleasurable than kissing for some people! Small daily doses of dark chocolate can give you a natural high that will make you feel relaxed and warm inside. Adding this to your balanced diet and regular exercise can make you healthier and happier inside and out.  So when you are reaching for some delicious gourmet chocolates, check out the dark chocolate options and feel better about your health!

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The health benefits of chocolate were discovered by the Aztecs, a Mexican empire that flourished in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Organic Raw Chocolate is a healthy superfood that is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Raw chocolate means that the cacao has not been heated or processed allowing it to preserve all of its rich nutrients. Organic chocolate means that there have been no chemicals, fillers, and preservatives used in the production of the chocolate.

Processed chocolate that includes dairy, sugar, and chemicals, results in blocking the antioxidant and health benefits. Processed chocolate also contains fat, wax, fillers, and preservatives. When pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones from the processed chocolate ingredients are added to its production, processed chocolate becomes a food with no health benefits.

Over 300 Healthy Properties

More than 300 minerals and properties have been identified in raw organic chocolate. Cacao contains copper, manganese, zinc, sulphur, and is rich in B -vitamins that includes niacin.  Because there is no sugar, raw organic chocolate is a great treat for children.

“Cornell University discovered that Cocoa has twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times those found in green tea.”

Health benefits of raw organic chocolate include:

Lower blood pressure Increases energy, alertness, creativity, and improves mood. Containing very little caffeine, raw organic chocolate is a major source of magnesium which helps your heart. Rich in Flavonoids which has a cancer-fighting antioxidant result Promotes healthy blood flow thereby reducing the risk of strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks Rich in Antioxidants thereby decreasing damaging free radicals Increased Longevity: Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who eat chocolate up to three times each month live almost a year longer than those who overindulge or eat junk food. Cocoa is reported to help brain function.  The magnesium is essential for maintaining brain function.  Raw chocolate is also composed of brain functioning elements such as tryptophan and anandamide Recently, the Theobromine in cocoa has been noted as calming the coughing reflex thereby helping to stop coughing. Can reduce cholesterol by 5-10 percent Decreases menopause and PMS symptoms Helps control appetite and supports weight loss

Eating chocolate is a pleasure that almost everyone loves. The availability of raw organic chocolate and fair trade chocolate is steadily increasing. Due to popular demand, supermarket chains, specialty stores, health food stores, and online health companies are now providing raw organic chocolate. Consumers now have the ability to enjoy the health benefits of this delicious treat.

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Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world’s perfect food. – Michael Levin, Nutritional Researcher

Who doesn’t like eating Chocolates? Right from the Kids to Adults, everyone melts at the very sight of the dark brownish slab of delicious goodness and who wouldn’t! And now with researchers and recent reports stating that the Dark Chocolate variety of Chocolate can help boost one’s cardiovascular health along with helping to regulate blood pressure, improve blood circulation and so on… we are sure there couldn’t be better news for Chocolate Lovers world over!

Why Dark Chocolate instead of any other Chocolate?

Some of the most commonly available varieties of chocolate are White, Brown, Milk and Dark Chocolate. However, despite the many health benefits of dark chocolate, it still hasn’t been able to achieve a place amongst the preferred chocolate varieties in India! The answer to this lies in our Indian taste buds, which are still unaccustomed to the bitter taste of Dark Chocolate.

With the medical fraternity going gaga over the anti-ageing and cardio vascular health boosting properties of dark chocolate, it definitely deserves a place amongst our favorite chocolates.

Still not convinced? The following mentioned health benefits of Dark Chocolate should convince you,

Looking beyond the Bitter Taste of Dark Chocolate:

Running parallel to Michael Levine’s description of Chocolate as the worlds perfect food, we list down the reasons which make Dark Chocolate so healthy,

Anti – Oxidant Power House

Many people don’t know that chocolate is a plant based food. In fact Raw Cocoa (basic ingredient for any kind of chocolate) contains a very high level of anti-oxidants and with Dark Chocolate containing high levels of cocoa; it too has a high level of anti-oxidants! The anti-oxidants present in dark chocolate are found in the form of polyphenols known as flavanoids, which help protect the body from free radicals and harmful molecules, thereby slowing down the ageing process while protecting us from Cancer!

With Dark Chocolate containing almost twice the amount of Antioxidants as compared to Red wine, the antioxidants found in dark chocolate help protect against ageing and heart problems.

Heart Matters

Consumption of Cocoa is proven to help relax one’s arteries as well as widen them; it also helps in widening arteries and maintaining them. Dark chocolate helps in preventing the buildup of plaque on the arteries which can block them, it does so by slowing down the rate of the *oxidization of LDL or Bad Cholesterol. Clinical trials have further proven that consumption of dark chocolate prevents the clogging up of arteries by reducing platelet re-activity.

*Oxidization of LDL cholesterol is responsible for the beginning of the accumulation of plaque on the arteries*

Reduces Blood Pressure

Dark chocolate contains vital minerals such as Magnesium and Copper, which help in regulating and maintaining the blood pressure. Research conducted on the same at the University of California, has revealed that individuals who consumed dark chocolates for two weeks had a better and healthier blood functioning, than those who had other forms of chocolate.

Other research conducted on the same has found that Dark chocolate triggers the release of Nitric Oxide within the blood. The presence of Nitric Oxide in the blood is responsible for the relaxation and dilation of blood vessels, which allows for more flow of the blood, thereby reducing blood pressure considerably.

Mood Booster

Dark Chocolate contains many compounds that serve to produce the ‘feel good’ factor on its consumption. The three main compounds found in the chocolate are Theobromine, which is a mild natural stimulant. Caffeine too is found in dark chocolate, albeit in low quantity.

However the compound mainly responsible for the boost in our moods after eating dark chocolate is Phenylethylamine (PEA), which triggers the release of endorphins in our brain. So the next time you find yourself feeling blue, pop in a square of Dark Chocolate! To know more about Dark Chocolate- The Dark Horse of Good Health

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If you really want to have a healthy lifestyle, you must be familiar with foods that are containing high amounts of antioxidants. This includes knowing which foods have the highest antioxidants and how the antioxidant reactions take place in our body.

Antioxidants can be found is a wide variety of foods including vegetables, fruits and nuts. Antioxidants come in many form including carotenoids, polyphenolic antioxidants, etc. Fruits and vegetables contain high levels of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Vegetable oils contain high levels of Vitamin E (tocopherols). Soy, fruit, and olive oil contain high levels of Polyphenolic antioxidants. Fruits, vegetables and eggs contain high levels of Carotenoids (lycopene, carotenes, and lutein). Leafy vegetables that contain high antioxidant are red cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy and Brussels sprouts.

It is wrong to assume green tea has the highest amount of antioxidants. Dark chocolate is the food that contains the highest amount of antioxidants. However, eating too much dark chocolate is not good for the health. Moderate amount of dark chocolate in your diet will bring a great deal of health benefits to you. Milk chocolates and white chocolates do not contain as much antioxidants as dark chocolates. Dark chocolates contain three types of antioxidants which are procyanidins, epicatechins and catechins.

Berries are good for the health. According to a research, all berries including strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, and blackberries have a high amount of antioxidants. Berries also taste sweet and are a good source of fiber and vitamins. You can add berries to your cereal or dessert instead of eating them with a cake or pie. Berries also serve as a healthy snack for children. It is convenient to have berries on your office desk so that you can eat them whenever you want.

To increase the intake of high antioxidant food in your diet, you should do it slowly. In addition to high antioxidant food, you should also eat food that has complex carbohydrates to maintain a balance diet. A balance diet plays an important role in the production of antioxidants as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Almost daily in the news we see reports of chocolate’s health benefits. It’s a potent antioxidant, and is chock-full of chemicals and nutrients that have been attributed to making us happy. Yet many of us remain skeptical; eating lots of chocolate doesn’t seem to make us feel better, and in fact can lower energy levels for awhile. So what gives? If chocolate is such a miracle food, shouldn’t we be able to eat it all the time, without guilt and feel great? Well, yes, we can, but the way chocolate is prepared is crucial to unlocking its true potential as a health food. If you’d like to learn how to have a healthy dose of chocolate daily, read on…

Like so many things in our modern world, its the processing of chocolate that makes all the difference. This isn’t just the New Age Hippy types saying this either (as one, the author feels comfortable making this statement). Food chemists and researchers who analyze the molecular makeup of our diets are of the same opinion. It’s RAW, minimally-processed chocolate that’s the miracle food. Un-roasted, un-cooked plain old powdered chocolate, better known as ‘Cacao’, is far superior in every way for your health. Cacao is one of the few foods on the planet now being called a ‘super’-food, as it’s nutrient density is so high and its health benefits are so great. Note that ‘organic’ does not mean ‘raw’. Even the premium organic hot-chocolate powders found in the high-end health food stores is still roasted and usually processed with alkali (called ‘Dutch Processing’, making it easier to dissolve in water, and destroying most of the antioxidants at the same time). This means that 99% of the chocolate products on the shelves are NOT the superfood you wished they were, but it also points the direction to how to include chocolate in your life on an exceptionally health daily basis. We’ll get to some recipes in a moment, but first a few points to help you remember why raw chocolate is where it’s at.

First the question of Caffeine. Many folks are sensitive to caffeine’s effect on their nervous system. It raises blood pressure, shortens tempers and keeps people awake. There are however, significant differences in the alkaloid structures of raw and roasted chocolate. Raw chocolate’s stimulation comes primarily from theobromine, which has little anxiety producing effects. Studies by natural wellness professionals and user reports both note that while commercially prepared dark chocolate has a very stimulating action that caffeine sensitive individuals may find too strong, an equivalent amount of raw cacao does not. The stimulating effects are reported mild, gentle, and without a ‘crash’ that is often associated with caffeine. A reason for mothers to think about creating their own raw chocolate treats for their children, too. The jury is still out on the actual amount if caffeine in raw chocolate; some investigators have found none, some have found small amounts in the ‘skin’ of the cacao beans, and others of found only small amounts in beans that have fermented somewhat (an indication of a lower-quality cacao). Either way, if you’ve refrained from chocolate because of it’s caffeine content, raw cacao may just be your answer to enjoying this treat again.

The really big news about chocolate has been it’s antioxidant profile. Chocolate contains significant amounts of polyphenols — the same important antioxidants found in green tea, red wine and green apples — but in greater amounts. Dark chocolate contains an impressive 5% of these compounds, yet raw chocolate is made up of an incredible 10% concentration of these possibly life-extending molecules. Both roasting and processing with alkali (to make Dutch cocoa) reduce antioxidant concentration. Further, the increased absorbability of powdered raw cacao (perhaps the most versatile form of raw chocolate) over cacao nibs give them an edge in ORAC value, a measure of Oxidative Radical Absorbance Capacity.

Maybe the most intriguing constituents of chocolate are it’s mood-altering chemicals besides its stimulation. Many users of raw chocolate find and even greater boost than from commercial chocolates. Like caffeine, some of the molecules attributed to mood-enhancement are also heat sensitive. Tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, is present in significant amounts and is known to be broken down by heat (and apparently it’s not the Tryptophan in the turkey dinners that makes one tired, it’s the three servings followed by pie and ice cream!). Other natural constituents are dopamine and precursors to dopamine, one molecule called the ‘love chemical’ and another called the ‘bliss chemical’. Add to these monoamine oxidase inhibitors which actually enhance the activity of all of the above mood brighteners. Finally, there’s lots of easily absorbed magnesium in raw chocolate, a mineral associated with serotonin production (many pharmaceutical antidepressants increase serotonin activity), and the ability to relax. Raw chocolate offers the healthiest and most effective means of adding these happy-making nutrients to your daily diet.

Need more be said? Ready for some recipes? The simplest means of eating raw chocolate is snacking on cacao nibs. These are small pieces of cacao beans that mix well with natural granolas or dried fruit. For the absolute most profound positive effects on your health, AND the most versatile form of raw chocolate for your recipes, pre-powdered raw chocolate is the best choice. The powder can be added to any drink, or easily made into bars, drops or other shaped candies. By far the most often enjoyed recipe for raw chocolate powder is the simple chocolate drink: Put one heaping tablespoon raw cacao powder, one teaspoon raw agave nectar, and one teaspoon high quality coconut oil in a blender (note that coconut oil quality varies greatly – a good coconut oil should taste pleasant by itself and have no chemical or rancid flavor which would otherwise be noticed in your chocolate drink). Add eight to twelve ounces of hot (but not boiling water) and blend at low speed for about ten seconds. That’s it; Chocolate magic that’s easily adjusted to your tastes — experimenting in whatever way comes to mind is highly encouraged.

There are lots and lots of recipes out there, and great reading on raw chocolate’s health benefits and preparation. You’ll cacao powder often combined with other super nutritious foods in smoothies and good-for-you deserts. Natural organic candies start with the same ingredients as the drinks, but without the liquid. Mixing the chocolate and coconut oil is easiest with your hands (as this gently melts the coconut oil) — making a paste to which you can add any little natural crunchy treats. As you’re not baking anything, there’s little to go awry, and really, so many possibilities. By using raw chocolate, you’ll open up a whole new world of cooking for yourself and your family — and if you hadn’t before, you might just find yourself really motivated to treat yourself to natural health and wellness.

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The world of dieting and diets is full of some really strange and wacky ideas! It seems that almost every month some celebrity or another is coming out endorsing yet another spin on the diet theme! Well, I’m no celebrity, but here is one you might not expect – The Chocolate Diet!

I can almost see you falling off your chair in fits of giggles – here comes another of those wacky fad diets from yet another self-proclaimed expert! I’m always very aware of that old definition of an “expert” – “X” is an unknown quantity, and a “spurt” is a drip under pressure!

The Chocolate Diet? Haven’t we’ve been told since we were young that chocolate is BAD for us – a moment on the lips, a life time on the hips! Certainly, if you are talking about highly refined milk chocolate then I would agree with you. But, what if we were talking about something very different?

We might be in need of a quick history lesson. Hernan Cortes was the Conquistador who led the  “conquest” of the Aztecs. Writing in 1519 he observed:

“The divine drink builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food”!

And the drink he was talking about was …. Chocolate! Remember, he was a soldier not known for making rash, unsubstantiated, judgments. Clearly, something is going on here that we need to pay attention to.

But before you go rushing off to the local supermarket, and hit the sweet counters, this is not any old chocolate we are talking about! Certainly, it is not your average confectionery chocolate. What if we were talking about one of the most natural and nutritious foods known to humanity – the original Healthy Dark Chocolate?

Most of our “sweet” chocolate is so highly processed that all the natural goodness has been stripped from it. The very processes we use to make chocolate more “palatable” destroy nearly all its nutritional value. In the same way that overcooking a dish of vegetables turns it into a nutritional wasteland, so it is with chocolate.

This article is all about how healthy chocolate can genuinely help you to lose weight. It is not a joke or another diet scam. It is a serious and accurate claim that can work as well for you as it has for us.

Let’s think about dieting for a moment. Most people equate “going on a diet” with some sort of fiendish punishment for past sins! They believe that everything that makes eating fun and enjoyable has to be stopped – no more treats, just boring, boring, rabbit food!

That is precisely why I love the idea of “The Chocolate Diet”. Imagine being able to have regular portions of healthy chocolate that will actually help you to lose weight. Suddenly being on a diet doesn’t seem such a bad proposition after all!

Surprisingly, there is a great deal of solid scientific evidence to suggest that eating healthy dark chocolate can actually reduce your body fat levels! It seems that eating real chocolate regulates the genes that are involved with the metabolism of fats. It actually helps our body to digest the fats we consume.

Not only that, but healthy chocolate also seems to act as a major appetite suppressant too. A small square or nugget fills you in a way that seems unbelievable considering its size!

Much of our desire to eat comes from the poor nutritional content of so much of our food stuffs. Our body craves certain nutrients and will encourage us to eat to supply its needs. If it recognises that it is getting the nutrition it needs it ceases its craving for “junk” foods with their high sugar and dubious nutritional content.

Our family has certainly found this to be the case, and our desire for “quick fix” snacks has all but vanished since we have been taking our healthy chocolate. Regular doses of good, nutritious, food seem to naturally regulate our weight – without all the painful side effects and cravings of conventional dieting.

Does it mean that you can still eat lots of other rubbish and magically lose weight? Of course not! You have to look at your total diet. The good news is that the chocolate seems to help you! A common experience is that people no longer crave unhealthy snacks – the need for instant sugar fixes are gone, and with it goes all those extra calories that pile on during the day.

Remember, the most effective way to lose weight is to control what you eat. And an effective way to control what you eat is to let healthy dark chocolate do the work for you. You definitely won’t feel like you’re “on a diet” then!

One of the definitions of madness is doing the same thing but expecting different results! Until you do something different you will not lose weight – it really is that simple. Sometimes people just need a gentle nudge to make empowering changes. That nudge can come from eating healthy chocolate – it will simply do the work for you.

If you have a few too many wobbly bits where there use to be firm curves then here is something that should definitely get you interested. A new approach to lose weight that will help you to get the body you always wanted, without all the heartache of a conventional diet!

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A recent study isn’t shy about suggesting regular consumption of small amounts of dark chocolate as part of a healthy heart diet could be good for your circulatory system.

Note the words small and dark. And forget about nugat and rich creamy centers. Instead we’re talking pure chocolate… as close to its natural, rich, intense taste as possible.

Nutritionists have long known that since chocolate is derived from plants it potentially has many of the same health benefits as dark vegetables do – In fact it has almost 8 times the antioxidants of strawberries.

The reason for this high level of anti-oxidants is because they are packed with “Flavonoids” which are a natural part and parcel of cocoa (the main ingredient of dark chocolate). Once these little powerhouses get into your body, they work to gobble up dangerous free radicals that can cause the inflammation that brings on cardiovascular disease and cancer.

A large, well controlled Italian study, to be published in the Journal of Nutrition, has shown that dark chocolate can significantly reduce the inflammation that leads to heart disease.

The data came from the Moli-sani Project, one of the biggest epidemiological studies in Europe and involved the random selection of people 35 and older, in good health with no risk factors for heart disease.

The researchers looked at the levels of a protein (C reactive protein) in the bloodwork of the subjects while also noting their chocolate intake and adjusting for factors that normally are known to impact heart disease such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Out of 11,000 possible participants, researchers identified 4,849 subjects in good health and free of risk factors for heart disease. Among them, 1,317 did not eat any chocolate, while 824 had the treat regularly, but only the dark variety.

The work, a collaborative effort between Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso and the National Cancer Institute of Milan, found that those who ate moderate amounts of dark chocolate had significantly lower levels of the C-reactive protein in their blood, indicating their inflammatory state was considerably reduced.

And though the 17% reduction seems small, in terms of cardiac disease it’s still enough to cut the risk of cardiac disease for one third of women and one quarter of men. That’s a pretty significant reduction.

So just how much dark, delicious chocolate do you need to eat to get the effect?

Remember the emphasis on dark chocolate… in fact, the darker the better. You’ll want to look for chocolate with 70%, or more, cocoa solids and little or no added sugar.

The product should also be made with cocoa butter instead of palm or coconut oils, and avoid “hydrogenated” or “partly hydrogenated” oils as much as possible.

Of course, a moderate intake is also key… as you might expect.

Start by looking at the total weight of the bar you’re considering. The ideal amount, according to the Italian research, is 6.7 grams (.23 ounces) a day. You might try to break a typical bar into 6 pieces and eating one each day… or enjoy a larger piece every couple of days. By the end of the week, you’ll want to have taken in no more than 47 grams (about 1.7 ounces) of dark chocolate. Not even a full candy bar. Eating more doesn’t add to the anti-inflammatory effect.

And milk chocolate (white chocolate too) doesn’t, sadly, have the same effect on inflammation. It seems that the milk dilutes the antioxidant effect of the substances in the dark chocolate. The same holds true for a glass of milk you might have with your indulgent treat… be sure to choose a different drink so as not to defeat the healthy heart diet benefits to your body of the dark chocolate.

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