Healthy Chocolate
from Lose Weight Reviews

More about healthy chocolate

Many people love chocolate. Whether it is a steamy mug of hot chocolate, a fresh baked batch of chocolate chip cookies, or their favorite candy bar they just cannot get enough.

The chocolate has been around since the 1500s, and has gone through many forms.

Some of today's chocolate lovers are seeing a new trend on the scene – chocolate that claims it is actually good for you.

But is there any truth behind this healthy chocolate? There is, but you have to know about your chocolates in order to take advantage of it.

Not All Chocolate Is Created Equal

While there is healthy chocolate, unfortunately you cannot just open a box of bonbons and start snacking. Dark chocolate is much better for you than any of the caramel, marshmallow, and cream-laden varieties. This is because dark chocolate contains a higher amount of flavanoids.

Flavanoids are a type of phytochemical that have been shown to improve blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, and improve heart health. Some research also suggests that these flavanoids can help reduce diabetes risk by improving blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.

How Much Can I Eat?

Even when you are eating healthy chocolate you still need to watch out for portion sizes. This is because chocolate also includes fat, sugar and calories – ingredients that are sure to spoil your diet and lead to weight gain, and other health problems. About an ounce of chocolate will allow you to get the health benefits and enjoyment out of chocolate without widening your waistline.

Many of the healthy chocolates will list the percent of cocoa that they include right on the label. The higher the percentage of cocoa, then the more flavanoids can be found in the chocolate. For the maximum health benefits, you should look for dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa.

What Are The Differences Between Chocolates?

When you are looking for healthy chocolate, you should stick to dark chocolate. But what exactly is the difference between the types of chocolates that are out there?

• Cocoa powder – Cocoa powder is when the cocoa butter is removed from the chocolate liquor and then is dried into a powder. Two tablespoons contain approximately 40 calories and one gram of fat. It does not contain any saturated fat.

• Unsweetened baking chocolate is the chocolate liquor that has been solidified. One ounce contains about 140 calories and 14 grams of fat. It also contains 9 grams of saturated fat.

• Dark chocolate is a blend of sugar with the cocoa butter and chocolate liquor. Depending on the brand it might also include vanilla. One ounce contains about 142 calories and 10 grams of fat. It also has 6 grams of saturated fat.

• Milk chocolate is the same as dark chocolate, except that milk or milk powder has been added to the mix. One ounce contains about 135 calories, 8.5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of saturated fat.

Chocolate As An Aphrodisiac

Many people think that healthy chocolate is a natural aphrodisiac. There may be some truth to the idea, since chocolate contains serotonin and phenylethylamine. These ingredients are thought to be mild sexual stimulants. However, the aphrodisiac quality may come from the sensual pleasure of simply eating chocolate as well.

Trust that you found this healthy chocolate article useful.

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