You have been on this “Healthy Diet” plagiarized from the Internet that leaves you craving for some energy. You are feeling stressed, claustrophobic about the diet, and of course, your sweet tooth gets the better of your mind. You end up digging into the chocolate bar glaring at you, each time you open the refrigerator for a fruit. Do you identify with this feeling?
It is quite a common phenomenon to develop an aversion for a particular fad diet, which does not provide an allowance for healthy cheat foods. Eating healthy however becomes a cakewalk if we are aware of cheat foods that have a leg up, nutritionally compared to their unhealthy counterparts. The healthier Cheat foods also help to keep your taste buds and mood moving shoulder to shoulder with your healthy diet on your journey to wellness.
One such Cheat food worth each calorie of discussion is Dark Chocolate.
Dark chocolate is basically chocolate with 70% or more cocoa content and little or no sugar as compared to white or milk chocolate. Behind the strong taste is hidden a whole gamut of goodness in the form of minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, vitamins like niacin, vitamin K, fibre; along with antioxidants like polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, mood boosters like serotonin and small amounts of caffeine.
A notable phytochemical that deserves special attention in its role to give Dark Chocolate a Superfood status is ‘Theobromine’. Theobromine has a bitter flavour, which gives dark chocolate its typical bitter taste. It works as a stimulant, relaxant and presents diuretic properties. Theobromine along with the other minerals and antioxidants are responsible for adorning Dark chocolate with commendable health attributes.
Health benefits:
- Dark Chocolate has antioxidant properties to prevent/decrease cell damage and improve heart health.
- It helps in regulating blood pressure and improves heart health.
- It also boosts the production of happy brain chemicals thus elevating mood and fighting depression.
- It Improves skin health and slows ageing.
- Theobromine in dark chocolate relaxes the lung cells and can improve respiratory health.
Looking at the darker side of these benefits, all the good needs to be weighed wisely with the calories and fat content that comes with this tasty yet nutritious package. It is a good bet to savour this cheat food sparingly like a magical potion, not only for its awesome taste but also for health and longevity!
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