ORLANDO, Fla. – What if you could replace your salad with a Hershey’s Kiss?
While many believe the delicious taste of chocolate is nothing more than a guilty pleasure, it actually has more health benefits than you think.
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From mental health to heart health and even curbing diabetes, it’s safe to say that the Aztecs were onto something when they believed chocolate was a gift from the gods.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, dark chocolate contains an antioxidant called epicatechin – and its effects are indeed epic.
Epicatechin is reported to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of blood clots and increase blood circulation to the heart. All of these factors combined can lower a chocoholic’s risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
If protecting your heart isn’t enough motivation for you to switch to the dark side of chocolate, get this: chocolate can make you smarter.
The flavonols in dark chocolate can improve brain function, in turn leading to better reaction time, visual-spatial awareness and stronger memory.
Beyond making you smarter than a fifth grader, chocolate is good for your mental health as it is found to reduce stress, not only because it’s delicious but because of its connection to heart health.
While WebMD reports that dark chocolate has a lot of sugar, fat and calories and must be enjoyed in moderation, a small study also shows that eating dark chocolate can lead to improved vision.
You can start your health journey right here in Central Florida. Check out these local chocolate shops.
So what are you waiting for? Whatever your chocolate bar of choice is, indulge! For your health, of course...
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: