It’s not just a great dessert, the perfect snack and a welcomed gift- this stuff is actually good for you.
Here’s yet another reason to love chocolate- at least the dark stuff. Not only can it boost your memory by up to 30% and help you lose weight by curbing your cravings and upping your metabolism, but scientists now say that it’s good for your heart.
How? Just to be sure we’re clear, we’re talking about dark chocolate, here. The other stuff is so delicious it must be valuable for the happiness it brings. The health benefits listed here apply to dark, bitter chocolate only, though.
Apparently, the antioxidants supplied by the flavonoids and polyphenols in dark chocolate make it something that promotes a better heartbeat in humans.
A study published in the journal Heart and completed by researchers at Duke University and Harvard uncovered the precious secret. It found that women who eat dark chocolate about once a week, and men who eat it 2 to 6 times a week have a 10-20% lower rate of developing atrial fibrillation (AF).
AF is a condition that causes an irregular, fast heartbeat or heart flutter that increases your risk of having a stroke and experiencing heart failure.
In those experiencing it, the two upper chambers of the heart beat chaotically and irregularly, and are out of coordination with the two lower chambers. Pretty unsettling.
The symptoms include feeling heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and general weakness throughout your body. If you think you have these, make an appointment to see your doctor to be tested for the condition, which can range from mild to quite serious.
And in the meantime, hop on down to your local grocery store and pick up one of those big bars of dark richness and dig in. It’s bound to do you some good.
Photo credits: Avdeyukphoto/Bigstock; Kesu01/Bigstock;VadimGuzhva/Bigstock