Therefore, do not rush to forbid yourself everything you love – limit only the portion size. here it explains why it is worth leaving 2-3 slices of chocolate in the daily diet.
In the name of a slim figure, it is customary to deny yourself absolutely all the food pleasures: from your favorite pastries to salads with the addition of sauces.
True, many forget that really proper nutrition is an understanding of a sense of proportion.
Antioxidants
Cocoa beans contain chemical elements that prevent oxidative processes in cells. Moreover, the concentration per 1 gram of product in beans is greater than in tea leaves and apples, which are considered the main source of natural flavonoids.
Nutritionists advise eating dark chocolate – it contains 70% cocoa. However, you should limit yourself to a portion of 20-25 grams per day – a larger number can cause a rapid heartbeat in caffeine-sensitive people.
Improving sports performance
In 2016, foreign scientists conducted an experiment with two groups of professional cyclists: one offered to eat 1.5 cubes of dark chocolate in addition to the main food for several weeks: 35% of its composition is cocoa powder and cocoa butter. For the second, dark chocolate was replaced with white – it contains only cocoa butter.
The final diagnosis showed that the first two groups of subjects showed an improvement in two indicators – the reaction speed at the start and endurance. However, more noticeable results were in the first group. With regular consumption, according to researchers, chocolate improves blood circulation, brain speed and normalizes blood pressure.
Anxiety reduction
You’ve probably heard that chocolate promotes the production of the hormone serotonin – that’s true. At the same time, it reduces the production of the opposite stress hormone, cortisol. The action is explained by the production of anandamide lipid – it includes brain-blocking stress receptors. In a 2009 study, scientists found that drinking 4–5 cubes a day helps anxious people cope with stress – they have lower levels of cortisol in their blood.
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction
The medical journal Heart analyzed the diet of 55.5 thousand people aged 50-64 years and came to an interesting conclusion: those who eat chocolate every day have a 20% lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
This positive effect is explained by the fact that the substances contained in chocolate dilute the blood, which prevents it from stagnating and clogging blood vessels. “Given the consistency of research data, as part of a heart-healthy diet, dark chocolate is an excellent choice for a snack,” says Elizabeth Mostofsky, the author of the study.
Natural Enhancer of Desire
Chocolate contains phenylethylamine – this is a chemical compound in the natural state secreted by our body in response to an increase in the level of dopamine and norepinephrine in the blood. Phenylethylamine causes a feeling of light euphoria and focus on the object of attention. So it is not surprising that at a romantic dinner, lovers drink wine with a bite of chocolate – this provokes a physical attraction to each other.
