Chocolate is not bad for you! Only bad chocolate is bad for you!
Eating good quality chocolate, made with fresh wholesome ingredients and containing a high percentage of cocoa solids has several health benefits.
1. It can reduce high blood pressure - flavonoids in cocoa (procyanids) help balance blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. Researchers from Germany's University Hospital, Cologne found that cocoa consumption lowered blood pressure by an average of 4.7/2.8 mm Hg. The New York Times reported that dark chocolate is almost as effective at lowering blood pressure as common antihypertensive drugs.
2. Well Being - Cocoa contains the chemical phenylethylamine which has been found to trigger feelings similar to "falling in love."
3. It reduces risk of heart attack - a researcher from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine said that eating a few squares of dark chocolate every day may reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack by almost 50%. The study found that blood platelets clotted slower in people who eat chocolate.
4. Improves processing of blood sugar - an Italian study found that dark chocolate consumption increased the body's metabolism of blood sugar and may reduce the risk of diabetes.
5. It can ease a persistent cough - a UK study found that theobromine, a component in cocoa, may be more effective as a cough medicine than standard drug treatments. The research showed that "theobromine acts on the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve, which runs through the airways in the lungs to the brain."