Reference News Network Samaranch Sports Channel reported on March 11 According to Argentina’s Buenos Aires Economic News Network, many people believe that dark chocolate is essentially a healthy food. Its nutritional benefits have been touted for years. But so far, much of the scientific evidence has been conflicting.
The cocoa beans used to make chocolate have been shown to contain high amounts of potent antioxidants called flavonols. Also, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa and flavonols it contains. Like other antioxidants, flavonols have been shown to prevent hardening of blood vessels, reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol levels.
Diana McKay, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston, said: “Eating chocolate, or by consuming the flavonols in cocoa, will have an effect on vascular function and possibly improve blood flow.” It seems logical that promoting normal blood flow is good for both the heart and the brain, but “we’re not sure yet whether eating chocolate helps prevent heart disease or improves cognitive function,” he said.
Research has shown that high doses of cocoa flavonols may be required to see significant effects, which may require taking flavonols in tablet or powder form rather than chocolate candy. For example, you might need to eat 600 calories of dark chocolate to get 500 mg of cocoa flavonols per day. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston are testing the substance’s effect on heart attack and stroke risk.
Joan Manson, lead author of the study and director of the hospital’s preventive medicine department, said: “If you want to get the health benefits of flavonols, there are other ways. , grapes, apples, and other foods rich in antioxidants.”
However, if you’re going to eat chocolate, dark chocolate with a higher proportion of cocoa is better than milk or white chocolate. Not only does milk chocolate contain less cocoa and less flavonols, it also contains about twice as much sugar as dark chocolate. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, but no cocoa solids, so it does not contain flavonols. And its sugar content is comparable to that of milk chocolate.
Dark chocolate is also high in nutrients, making it a healthier dessert option than cookies or cakes, which are often high in sugar and made with refined flour.
One ounce of dark chocolate (about 30 grams) contains about 3 to 5 grams of fiber, about the same amount as a 6-ounce apple (about 170 grams). It also provides about 65 mg of magnesium (roughly the equivalent of half a cup of cooked spinach) and 203 mg of potassium (roughly the equivalent of half a cup of cooked broccoli).
Dark chocolate contains more fat than milk chocolate, but most of it is heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids and stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid that does not raise cholesterol levels Fat. However, many people prefer to eat sweet chocolate, while dark chocolate tastes bitter and grainy. But if you try it again, you might fall in love with dark chocolate.
The experts also give us tips for getting the most enjoyment and benefits from chocolate:
1. Choose bitter chocolate. Milk chocolate can be as low as 10% cocoa, while high-quality chocolate can have up to 27%. So milk chocolate lovers may need to switch to dark chocolate. Start by trying dark chocolate with about 60% cocoa content.
2. Choose chocolate by origin. Beans grown in Madagascar, Belize, and the Dominican Republic are more likely to have berry and dried fruit flavors, which can sweeten the chocolate flavor.
3. Buy high-quality chocolate. Buying high-quality chocolate is the same as buying good wine or coffee. The raw materials, where and how they are grown and harvested, how they are processed into chocolate… many factors play a major role in the taste of the final product. The skill of the chocolatiers also helps to make chocolate with up to 100% cocoa rich, silky and mellow.
4. Taste chocolate consciously. Tasting the wonderful taste of chocolate will give you the greatest satisfaction from even a small piece of chocolate. Experts recommend that we put a small piece in our mouth and chew it a few times, but most importantly let it melt slowly on your tongue.
5. Enjoy with other food. Dark chocolate with dried fruit pieces, nuts, or sea salt may taste sweeter than regular dark chocolate, even if it contains the same proportion of cocoa. But try to cut back on sweetening additions like caramel and marshmallows as much as possible, as doing so can greatly increase the sugar content. Eating dark chocolate with some fresh berries or dried apricots (both of which have extra flavonols) is also a delicious and healthy option for the perfect combination of bitter and sweet in the mouth. Tea is also another great companion to dark chocolate. The combination of the two balances the slightly bitter taste of the chocolate. (Compiled by Liu Lifei)