With the New Year come and gone, many of us are making good on a
resolution to eat healthier. So what’s a chocolate lover to do?
Good news. Research says you can have your cake and eat it, too.
As long as that cake is chocolate.
For centuries, chocolate has been used to treat diseases and
maladies such as depression. Civilizations from Mexico to Europe
have hailed chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The U.S. government
officially recognized its virtues in World War II, making the
chocolate candy bar standard issue for the military.
Chocolate’s scientific name, theobroma cacao, is literally
translated as "food of the gods," and we chocolate cravers don’t
need any studies to tell us the power of chocolate in mood
alteration. Its feel good chemicals have long been associated
with feelings of love, safety, and comfort. Maybe that’s why
Americans eat an average of 12 pounds of chocolate per year.
Chocolate contains vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, as well as
potassium, sodium, iron, and fluorine. Now, researchers say
those creamy chocolate confections may actually help us live
longer, too.
Harvard researchers tracked nearly 8,000 males, with an average
age of 65. Those men who enjoyed chocolate and candy lived
almost a year longer than those who did not. Those who ate one
to three candy bars per month had a 36 percent lower risk of
death (compared to the people who ate no candy), while those who
ate three or more candy bars per week had a 16 percent lower
risk.
Why? The researchers say they don’t know for sure, but that it
might have something to do with antioxidants. Chocolate contains
the same antioxidant chemicals as wine (phenols). In the
chocolate bar, phenols help preserve the fat. In our bodies,
phenol can help prevent atherosclerosis.
Like anything, chocolate is best enjoyed in moderation. Just one
ounce of solid chocolate packs about 150 calories and can be as
much as 50 percent fat. So, for your next chocolate fix,
consider reduced fat alternatives, such as chocolate covered
foods or chocolate syrup.
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