Nutritional Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate topped yesterday’s list of superfoods that are reported to help fight diabetes.
Numerous scientific studies have well established that dark chocolate is good for our health and, according to Silvia Bürkle, co-founder of metabolic balance, there is now clear evidence that gut bacteria are essential for the effective conversion into anti-inflammatory compounds, which are beneficial for our heart and our health. During last week’s meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas, researchers reported that they identified the reason why eating dark chocolate keeps our heart and our cardiovascular system healthy. Scientific American immediately published this well written summary of the findings.
It is however important to remember, that there are two caveats to our daily chocolate consumption:
- Not all chocolates are equal in their health benefits! When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to reduce its acerbic flavor. The more chocolate is processed, the more flavanols are lost. Most commercial chocolates are highly processed – even dark chocolates! Your best choice is likely dark chocolate (more than 70 percent cocoa) instead of milk chocolate (especially milk chocolate that is loaded with other fats and sugars) and cocoa powder that has not undergone Dutch processing (cocoa that is treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity).
- The effective fermentation of both the antioxidants and the fiber in chocolate requires a healthy gut flora! Any imbalance of the bacteria essential for this process will result in diminished conversion and absorption of the anti-inflammatory compounds and may require a restoration of the gut flora. Foods, which are naturally rich in fiber and probiotics can assist in restoring intestinal balance.
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- mclg2329 reblogged this from metabolic-balance