Towards the celebration of Valentine’s Day (Valentine’s Day), it is not uncommon for us to find rows of chocolates decorated and packaged attractively arranged neatly on store shelves. Many people commemorate this moment by giving chocolate to their spouse, friends or parents as a symbol of love, affection and comfort. This food product with a sweet taste and distinctive aroma that is appetizing is very popular and favored by the world community. Besides that, did you know that apart from symbolizing love, affection, and comfort, it turns out that chocolate has many benefits for the health of the body, you know. Come on, see the explanation about the benefits of chocolate below!
What are the health benefits of chocolate?
Clinical studies show that chocolate contains various compounds that play an important role in the health of the body, including:
theobromine
Theobromine is a compound that has an effect similar to caffeine, but on a smaller scale. This compound is a mild stimulant with the effect of increasing the rate of urination, relaxing bronchial smooth muscle in the lungs, and elevating mood.
Phenylethylamine
These compounds stimulate the nervous system to release endorphins which enable the activation of dopamine in the brain. This mechanism occurs in the pleasure center of the brain, which triggers feelings of happiness or falling in love.
Tetrahydro-beta-carboline
Tetrahydro-beta-carboline is an alkaloid compound that plays an important role in inhibiting the re-absorption of serotonin and epinephrine in the brain, which are hormones that play an important role in improving mood for the better.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are natural compounds that are commonly found in plant foods and act as anti-inflammatory, hypo-allergenic and anti-cancer.
One type of flavonoid contained in chocolate is epicatechin. These compounds are useful for protecting blood vessels, improving heart health, and preventing cancer.
Mineral
Chocolate contains various minerals that are important for the body, such as magnesium to maintain muscle and nerve function, and copper which plays a role in glucose metabolism, growth and brain development.
Are all types of chocolate good for health?
There are several types of chocolate that are often consumed by the public, such as dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate. Of these three types of chocolate, consumption of dark chocolate is more recommended because it has low levels of fat and sugar, making it more optimal for health.
Dark Chocolate
- Darker color with a more bitter taste
- Made from cocoa powder (> 35%), sugar and vegetable fat
- Does not contain milk
Milk Chocolate
- Milk chocolate color with a sweet taste
- Made from cocoa powder (20-30%), sugar and vegetable fat
- Contains milk
White Chocolate
- Yellowish white color with a sweeter taste
- Made from cocoa butter, vanilla, sugar and powdered milk
- Does not contain cocoa powder
Wow, so you understand more about the benefits of chocolate for health, huh!
However, slot gacor we still need to pay attention to the composition of chocolate (sugar, fat, etc.) with the right portion to avoid the occurrence of certain diseases, such as digestive disorders and diabetes mellitus. That way, we can receive the benefits of chocolate for optimal health.
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