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High cocoa content is healthy: chocolate is the new vegetable

The ingredients of chocolate strengthen our brains, protect our psyche, prevent inflammation, and should even make us slim - if we enjoy the chocolate properly.

High cocoa content is healthy: chocolate is the new vegetable


Imagine a piece of chocolate on the tongue as we slowly press it on the palate and it begins to melt gently. How the wonderful aroma spreads throughout the mouth and triggers true feelings of happiness in us. Chocolate is like poetry, it has a sensual-creative dimension and with its almost intoxicating effect has already led many artists and creative chocolatiers to amazing works of art. We show you how brown gold can not only inspire your senses and creativity. But also how much health is in the superfood chocolate

The brown-gold: what influence chocolate has on our bodies

Cocoa is a true superfruit. It contains a particularly large number of polyphenols and flavonoids, plant substances that can render free radicals in the cells harmless in the body. They are mainly found in fruits and vegetables, which is why we should consume as much as possible every day.

However, a high cocoa content in chocolate often provides the body with more antioxidants than fruits or some fruit juices. The consumption of chocolate should, therefore, have at least as positive an effect on our body as that of vegetables and fruit. This is mainly due to the catechins contained in cocoa, which belong to the flavonoids. They are also known in connection with green tea, which is also particularly good for health.

Superfood dark chocolate: A high cocoa content is particularly healthy

While most conventional whole milk chocolates mainly contain sugar and fat, thus promoting diabetes and obesity, dark varieties from 70 percent cocoa contain particularly high catechins. They protect the body from stress hormones and can ward off bacteria and thus prevent inflammation in the body.

1. Too much sugar makes you sick: Conventional chocolate is too sweet
Whole milk varieties usually contain 25 percent cocoa and thus also flavanoids, but the sugar content is far too high, usually over 60 percent. A bar of chocolate (usually 100 grams) therefore contains 60 grams of sugar alone. This is already more than the 50-gram daily intakes recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization) in an adult.

In children, chocolate should be chocolate a day after a bar – without the additional consumption of other sugary products! - Be the end. According to the WHO, children are only allowed to consume a maximum of 25 grams of sugar per day.

2. Losing weight with chocolate: Catechins in cocoa boost metabolism
However, numerous studies have also shown that chocolate lovers often weighed 2-3 kilos less than non-chocolate eaters despite daily consumption. It can be assumed that the subjects regularly consumed rather little chocolate, i.e. not in the table.

The scientists explain the effect by the fact that the catechins in cocoa boost the metabolism more strongly. And the antioxidants shown in chocolate can also regulate blood sugar. This prevents further craving attacks and reduces the risk of diabetes. This, in turn, works best when the chocolate contains little sugar, because sugar, on the other hand, stimulates both effects more.

3. Less stress after snacking: Chocolate reduces the production of stress hormones
And the dark chocolate has a positive effect! Because the more flavonoids it contains, the fewer stress hormones are produced in the body. Stress hormones signal the body to build fat reserves to protect itself from stress.

The flavonoids block the release of hormones by blocking the adrenal glands. While the affected person feels stress, the body reacts more calmly without the hormone release. Chocolate also has a calming effect.

4. Chocolate makes you smart: your consumption increases memory performance and ability to concentrate
Scientific research has shown that chocolate increases cerebral circulation. This leads to higher concentration and alertness. Even memory can affect chocolate. A test at Columbia University in New York showed that consuming 900 milligrams of flavonoids daily, which is equivalent to about half a bar of dark chocolate, leads to a significant increase in memory after three months. The 60-year-old test subjects achieved results in the test as 30-40-year-olds.

Enjoying the brown gold: Conscious enjoyment increases well-being

Anyone who knows the taste of dark chocolate knows that it pacifies our senses faster than milk chocolate. Already 1-2 pieces of bitter chocolate are enough if you have an appetite for something sweet. If you let the delicate brown gold melt slowly in your mouth, you will taste intensely the cocoa and also the other harmonious aromas, such as vanilla, which are often added to the fine chocolates.

If you can't really get used to the tart taste of the dark chocolate, you shouldn't immediately resort to the sweeter whole varieties, but give yourself a little more time and try different varieties and suppliers. Because chocolate enjoyment is similar to the enjoyment of wine or cheese. It is learned and only really develops after a certain time and mature experience. This is the time for the true connoisseurs.

As organic and fair as possible: this way we can take on a bit of responsibility when enjoying
Those who eat consciously think above all of their health. Knowing that chocolate is good for our bodies and souls, we can give away a piece of our happiness and make sure that it is made in organic quality and that it comes from fair production processes if possible.

Because if we want to enjoy light-heartedly, we can also take some responsibility for the eco-system and the improvement of social conditions in the countries of origin.