Today is National Dark Chocolate Day

Today is absolutely a day I will celebrate - National Dark Chocolate Day! I LOVE dark chocolate - I love how it is not too sweet, but mostly I love how it is such a healthy treat! Yes, dark chocolate is actually good for you - look what I learned on nationaltoday (dot) com . . . 

Take some time on National Dark Chocolate Day to get informed on the ways that dark chocolate offers benefits to the health:

• Powerful source of antioxidants - Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, such as flavonols and polyphenols, that fight off the dangerous and unhealthy free radicals that are present in the environment and food today.

• May help with cholesterol - 

  With the possibility of improving risk factors for heart disease, dark chocolate may protect against high cholesterol as well as possibly reducing insulin resistance. 

• Protect from sun damage - 

  The antioxidants found in dark chocolate may help to improve blood flow to the skin, prevent skin damage from the sun, and even increase the hydration and density of the skin.

• May improve brain function - 

  Not only is dark chocolate possibly good for you in other ways, it may actually help to improve the function of the brain, helping to maintain cognitive function particularly in aging and older adults.

This isn't all! On healthline (dot) com, I learned more - did you know . . . 

• Quality dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and a few other minerals.

• Cocoa and dark chocolate have a wide variety of powerful antioxidants. In fact, they have way more than most other foods.

• The bioactive compounds in cocoa may improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a small but statistically significant decrease in blood pressure.

• Dark chocolate improves several important risk factors for disease. It lowers oxidation-prone LDL and improves insulin sensitivity.

You will find more at this link. Believe it or not, there is still more reasons to love Dark Chocolate and how it helps your health - did you know . . .

• The flavanols in cocoa are thought to increase insulin sensitivity, which over the long run might reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Dark chocolate also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Numerous studies have shown that eating dark chocolate is effective for reducing inflammatory markers. For example, a 2023 study that included 59 people on hemodialysis found that the participants who consumed 40 grams of dark chocolate containing 70% cocoa three times a week for two months had reduced blood levels of the inflammatory marker tumor necrosis factor-alpha compared to the control group. (I have found this to be true for me!)
• Dark chocolate provides nutrients that are known to benefit the gut, such as prebiotics. Prebiotics are compounds that act as fuel for friendly bacteria that reside in your digestive tract. Consuming foods rich in prebiotic fibers may help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, thus improving the health of the gut.

You will find more at this link. Dark Chocolate also has endorphins which make you feel happy! So, today - and every day - enjoy your dark chocolate! It is good for you!