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Believe it or not…Chocolate can be healthy!

When you think of healthy food, I bet chocolate isn't the first thing that comes to mind... You’d be surprised to know that chocolate can be healthy and a good source of nutrients when it's in pure form and eaten in moderation.

Dark chocolate is rich with various good minerals such as: Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus, and Copper. Furthermore, it has a variety of polyphenolic compounds like antioxidants and flavonoids. These compounds help boost your immune and cardiovascular health.

The antioxidants in dark chocolate help to lower bad cholesterol levels and prevent plaque on artery walls, while the flavanols in chocolate are good for lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow, and helping protect the skin from sun damage. Note that the bioactive compounds in cocoa can improve blood flow in the arteries and ease lower inflammation in the body. This increase in blood flow, may improve brain function.

Research shows a reduction in heart disease risk among those who consume a moderate amount of chocolate. Also because chocolate generally is high in calories, enjoying it in moderation is a beneficial practice. You can have about one ounce of dark chocolate no more than three times a week.

Bottom line

Dark chocolate and cocoa are rich with good and significant health benefits, being especially protective against heart disease.

Note this doesn’t mean you should go overboard and consume lots of chocolate every day. Be careful, be moderate — it is still filled with calories and easy to overeat.

It is recommended to eat dark chocolate no more than three times a week. Perhaps have a square or two after dinner and try to savor them. If you want the benefits of cocoa without the calories in chocolate, consider making hot cocoa without any cream or sugar.

Also, note that a lot of the chocolate on the market is not nutritious. Choose quality. You want to look out for dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content.