Chocolate can be consumed hot or cold and health experts believe it has the capacity to cure ailments.
According to mothernaturenetwork.com, chocolate was used to fight fits of anger and bad moods in France in the 17th century.
Also it reduces levels of stress hormones in the blood.
Unlike the idea that hot chocolate drinks could aid fast weight gain, research has continued to show us that it deposits antioxidants, which help prevent cancer, heart disease, age-related muscular degeneration and aging in general.
A word of caution by www.mnn.com stresses the need to be sure of the mixture in the pack of chocolate drink that you are about to consume. Beware of fake products.
Other facts you should know…
*The concentration of antioxidants in hot cocoa is almost twice as strong as red wine. Cocoa's concentration is two to three times stronger than that of green tea and four to five times stronger than that of black tea.
*More antioxidants are released when it's hot
*A cup of hot cocoa contains 611mg of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents and 564mg of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents. The antioxidant gallic acid is used to treat internal hemorrhages, albuminuria (the presence of albumin in the urine, which can indicate kidney disease) and diabetes.
*Although a regular bar of chocolate has strong antioxidant activity, the health benefits may be outweighed because of the saturated fats present - cocoa generally has much less fat per serving compared to the eight grams of fat in a standard chocolate bar.
*The flavonoid helps your body process nitric oxide, which is why hot cocoa can improve blood flow, help lower your blood pressure and improve heart health.
*The flavonoid in hot chocolate help prevent platelets in your blood from mingling together and forming clots.
*Drinking hot chocolate can help you think well too. The flavonoid increases the blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Since dementia is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the brain, researchers think it could be treated with cocoa.
Myths about chocolate
1. Chocolate raises bad cholesterol
It is true that chocolate contains cocoa butter, which is high in saturated fat. Much of the fat comes from stearic acid, which doesn't act like saturated fat. Chocolate does not raise bad cholesterol, it can lower cholesterol levels.
2. Chocolate is high in caffeine
Contrary to popular belief, chocolate is not loaded with the jitter-inducing compound known as caffeine. Darker varieties are higher in caffeine, it's true, but not as high as many people think.
3. Sugar in chocolate causes hyperactivity
Excessive sugars make kids to jump off the walls, bounce off the ceiling, and generally mimic a rogue helicopter, right? So we thought. But more studies have failed to find any link between sugar in children's diets and hyperactive behaviour.
4. People with diabetes have to give up chocolate
Chocolate does not need to be completely avoided by people with diabetes. In fact, many are often surprised to learn that chocolate has a low glycemic index.
5. Chocolate causes tooth decay and cavities
But a study from Osaka University in Japan found that parts of the cocoa bean, the main ingredient of chocolate, thwart mouth bacteria and tooth decay. Fighting cavities never tasted so good.
6. Chocolate makes you gain weight
Not necessarily. Obviously, monumental hot fudge sundaes aren't going to do your waistline any favours, but a study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that consuming a small amount of chocolate each of five days during a week was linked to a lower BMI.
7. Eating sugar and chocolate can aid stress
A study found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly stressed
NOW I CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS 3 CUPS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN.....U ARE INVITED TO JOIN ME :)
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