Consuming Dark Chocolate Can Improve Heart Health

First Posted: Oct 16, 2016 05:45 AM EDT
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A recent study shared by the Harvard University has revealed that consuming dark chocolate can prove to be a good medicine for treating heart disease. This study has come out as an exciting discovery for all the chocoholics. The study states that the cocoa compounds present in the chocolate can be beneficial for the heart patients in improving their health.

As per a report published by NDTV, Simin Liu, Professor at Brown University in Rhode Islands, US has said, "We found that intake of cocoa flavanol can reduce all the subclinical risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation." Cardiometabolic disorders are a combination of both heart disease and diabetes. 

Researchers believe that the presence of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant produced by plants, to be the reason for dark chocolates being an essential medicine for heart patients. Flavonoids are largely concentrated in cacao bean which yields cocoa powder to make dark chocolates. Flavonoids help to lower the blood pressure, prevents blood clot, increases blood flow to brain and heart and fight against cell damage.

Dark chocolate is also known for having a high concentration of an alkaloid called Theobromine. It consists of stimulant properties and has a relaxing effect. It can dilate the blood vessels as it is a rich source of soluble fiber, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium.

Though dark chocolates are made up of saturated fat and cocoa butter, they do not raise your cholesterol levels. Studies suggest that consuming dark chocolate can increase the level of nitric oxide in your body and thus lowers the blood pressure. According to NDTV, the researchers at Wageningen University in Netherlands have found that dark chocolate helps to restore the flexibility of the arteries and also avoid the situation wherein the white blood cells stick to the walls of blood vessels. 

It is advisable to consume a small portion of dark chocolate every day to lower the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. It has been proved that people who consume dark chocolates daily tend to remain more young, fit, active and free of any heart diseases. They play a major role in insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disorders.

Consuming dark chocolate can also reduce stress on your heart, thus, helping you to cope up with all the stressful situations. The bottom line is the higher the cocoa content bar, the healthier your heart.

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