Eat Chocolate! 20 Reasons It Can Be Helpful

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Photo Courtesy: Lee McCoy

Eat Chocolate! 20 Reasons It Can Be Helpful

By Bri Groves (From the Swimming World Archive)

Chocolate is often labeled as a cheat food, guilty pleasure, or rich dessert but these categorizations neglect its health benefits. To do chocolate some justice and give swimmers a couple excuses to eat this tasty treat, we’ve come up with 20 unexpected benefits that accompany chocolate consumption.

The more chocolate is processed, the fewer health benefits accompany the product. For this reason, health experts often recommend consuming varieties of unsweetened, raw dark chocolate. However, processed chocolate can still bring a superfood boost, provided there aren’t too many additives.

1.High in Antioxidants

Flavanols, naturally-occurring compounds that occur in plant foods like cocoa, act as antioxidants and help to counteract free radicals in the body.

2. Blood Pressure Benefits

Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with high stress levels or chronically elevated blood pressure.

3. Lower LDL Cholesterol

Eating dark chocolate on a regular basis has been attributed with reduction in LDL cholesterol by as much as 10%.

4. Natural Anti-Depressant

Chocolate is rich in seretonin, a natural anti-depressant. Eating chocolate also stimulates endorphin production, creating feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

5. It May Fight Cancer

Chocolate has been found to inhibit cell division and reduce inflammation in patients which may be correlated with lower risks of cancer and reduced cancer severity in patients.

6. Prevents Tooth Decay

Theobromine, a natural component of chocolate, prevents tooth decay by eliminating the oral cavity bacteria, streptococcus mutans, that contributes to tooth decay.

7. Longer Life

A Dutch study followed 200 men over 20 years and found that large chocolate consumers lived longer than those who did not. Harvard used similar methods and found the same results. Learn more about chocolate’s secrets of longevity here.

8. Less Disease

The same Harvard and Dutch studies have attributed chocolate to lower disease contraction and consequential longer lifespans.

9. High in Magnesium

Cacao is extremely high in magnesium, an important mineral that helps to regulate the digestive, neurological, and cardiovascular systems.

10. Brain Health

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that red wine and dark chocolate can protect the brain following a stroke by shielding nerve cells from further damage.

11. Higher Intelligence

A study at California’s Salk Institute found that epicatechin, a chemical in chocolate, may improve memory.

12. Cough Relief

13. Sun Protection

London researchers found that after 3 months of eating chocolate with high levels of flavanols, their subjects’ skin took twice as long to develop reddening associated with the beginning of a burn.

14. Reduced Stress

Swiss scientists found that when people with high anxiety levels ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks, their stress levels were significantly lower and the metabolic effects of stress were partially mitigated.

15. Diabetes Prevention

Theobromine, which occurs in high levels in chocolate, has been found to quiet coughs and soothe throats without the traditional side effects of medication.

16. Insulin Regulation

Frequent consumers of chocolate have been correlated with higher insulin regulation and response.

17. A Healthier Heart

In a 9-year Sweedish study of more than 31,000 women, those who ate one to two servings of dark chocolate each week were  33% less likely to experience heart failure.

18. Healthy Fats

Chocolate contains Oleic acid, a healthy monosaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.

19. It Improves Vision

Chocolate improves blood flow particularly to the brain and the retina, allowing consumers to experience better shortterm vision.

20. Improves Blood Flow

Cocoa has anti-clotting and blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way to aspirin, which can improve blood flow and increase circulation.

All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.

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Carrol Besseling
6 years ago

Darian, as if you needed convincing.

Samantha Cross
6 years ago

? I will not be sharing this with Shiv!!!!

Corrina Talamo
6 years ago

Maria Milner

Maria Milner
6 years ago
Reply to  Corrina Talamo

Omg but actually though haha?

Lynette Besonday-Washburn

Except my doctor stated chocolate causes hot flashes for us older ladies.

Nicole Jensen
6 years ago

Written by the same people who said feeding young swimmers lollies was a good idea. Mum eye roll.

Emmabeth Jensen
6 years ago
Reply to  Nicole Jensen

haha classic!

Ashley Elizabeth
6 years ago

Alex Fisher don’t have to tell me twice

Alex Fisher
6 years ago

Haha oh my gosh

Ashley Elizabeth
6 years ago

See it’s good for you

Emmabeth Jensen
6 years ago

Ash Stone… last one, I promise;)

Judith Montero
6 years ago

Dennis Camacho Segura as if I needed reasons ….

Dennis Camacho Segura
6 years ago
Reply to  Judith Montero

Definitely

Oliwia Okaj
6 years ago

Braden Rider

Braden Rider
6 years ago
Reply to  Oliwia Okaj

Offffff course

Sheri Langendoerfer-Bottelberghe

Monica Bottelberghe

Laura Carver
6 years ago

Samantha Parsons

Selin Kasif
6 years ago

Huseyin Suzan Kasif hello

Huseyin Suzan Kasif
6 years ago
Reply to  Selin Kasif

K

Émilie Lepage
6 years ago

Paule Ménard-Pelletier!!!!

Paule Ménard-Pelletier
Reply to  Émilie Lepage

Ahhahah je le savais que c’etait bon pour vous du bon chocolat!!! Maxime-olivier

Tina Mullins Melvin
6 years ago

Kira Melvin

Sara Touchette-McGowan

Anila Mehta

Eric Holden
6 years ago

Katherine Pardo

Nathaniel Wright
6 years ago

Ju Kikumoto

Jo Isaac
6 years ago

Steph Griffiths I think we should take up swimming ??

Julie Scho
6 years ago

Dave Emmons if I saw it on the internet…?

Tasha McGill
6 years ago
Alex Blair
6 years ago

Erin Lee Marija Robinson cacao 70??

Alyce Bradac
6 years ago

Jake Miller

David Lindquist
6 years ago

Jemma Lindquist

Lisa Yeingst- Biggs
6 years ago

Brittany Biggs

Simon Olliver
6 years ago

Tracey Mckinstry

Dana Barbin Hamm
6 years ago

Sydney Fisher

Debbie Riley
6 years ago

Finally!!!

Emma Hatherley
6 years ago

Emily Nicol yesssss

Emily Nicol
6 years ago
Reply to  Emma Hatherley

life complete <3

Stephanie Jiang
6 years ago

Grace Wu

Kel Senior
6 years ago

Meg Senior

Dennis Conway
6 years ago

Finally, I can throw out all my prescription meds. Now I just have to learn how to swim.

Tania Stevens
6 years ago

Olivia Kate Stevens you may want to start swimming again

James Chan
6 years ago

Maria Woo please buy me more chocolate ?

Briana Vassiliadis
6 years ago

Show this to our haters Jordan Fox

Jordan Fox
6 years ago

not sure about the higher intelligence one ?

Peter Johnson
6 years ago

I’m prepared to believe!

Jordana Wardrop
6 years ago

Stacey Wardrop

Stacey Wardrop
6 years ago

Sounds good

Abigail Lihou
6 years ago

Harry Jones

Leigh Harvey
6 years ago

Rachael Coleman?❤

Lisa Wills
6 years ago

Mitchell Willsl

Jordan Fox
6 years ago

Jack Williams Michael Garbelotto

Briana Vassiliadis
6 years ago
Reply to  Jordan Fox

Stop hating on us

Lisa Wills
6 years ago

Jack Carr

Lisa Wills
6 years ago

Benjamin Wills

Chantelle Gregory
6 years ago

Sammy Gregory

Jamie Horne
6 years ago

Hallie Cox Horne

Sue Davies
6 years ago

Leanne Peltonen – enough to make us take up swimming and be awesome like our kids, or does a bath count!!

Leanne Peltonen
6 years ago
Reply to  Sue Davies

Love it!

Mike van der Feltz
6 years ago

Nicola hahaha finally an excuse for you!! 🙂

Dawn Lake
6 years ago

Only twenty ?

Greg Tschabuschnig Jackson

Rachel ?

Eva Kamminga
6 years ago

Li Sha Lotte

Li Sha van der Logt
6 years ago
Reply to  Eva Kamminga

Nice ??

Kirsten Elisabeth Johansen

Cecilie Klingenberg

Cecilie Klingenberg
6 years ago

❤️

Sue Aitken
6 years ago

Samuel Aitken !!!!!

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