The good news...
• Although saturated fat generally raises cholesterol, experts believe that the type of saturated fat in chocolate is heart healthy.
• Chocolate contains anti-oxidants that can help protect against heart disease and cancer.
• The carbohydrate in chocolate is used in the production of chemical messengers in the brain such as serotonin, which make us calm and relaxed.
• A bar of milk chocolate gives around 15% of you daily calcium requirement.
• Although chocolate is less likely to cause tooth decay than other sweets, it’s better to eat chocolate after a meal rather than between meals.
• Although chocolate is one of the most craved foods, particularly by women, it is not addictive.
• Chocolate is a surprising source of copper with one ounce of dark chocolate providing around 1/5 of our requirements. Copper is required for healthy bone formation and to help in wound healing.
• An ounce of dark chocolate provides over a tenth of our daily magnesium requirements. We need magnesium for efficient calcium absorption, proper muscle function and the production of serotonin, among hundreds of other functions.
The not so good news…
• A bar of chocolate will provide around 22% of your recommended fat intake.
• A typical 2 ounce bar of milk chocolate will set you back 296 calories.
2008-03-23 @ 19:05