By Cal Orey
October is going to be
a stressful month with taxes, the election, an unpredictable virus, and Mercury
Retrograde mid-month. But, you can find a sweet way to keep your cool by
turning to a forbidden superfood. Chocolate! Yes, chocolate. How? How exactly
does chocolate help you stay healthy and feel good?
A healthful diet and lifestyle are part of the arsenal to beat the
battle of the bulge, which often may be linked sooner than later to heart
disease--still America's number one killer for both men and women, according to
the American Heart Association (AHA).
In a cocoa bean shell, chocolate is made from the cocoa plant, which means it
contains many of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. These
good-for-you perks stem from flavonoids, which act as mighty antioxidants. We
know antioxidants protect the body from bad-for-you free radicals (imagine
little Pac-Men wearing T shirts with the words "Antioxidant Fighter")
and gobble these harmful culprits in your body, lowering the risk of damage
that can lead to heart disease.
Heart-healthy chocolate has also been shown to lower blood pressure, and
regulate cholesterol by reducing the bad kind (LDL) while maintaining the good
kind (HDL)--two culprits for boomers and elderly folk. Caveat: Start slow
working your way up to the dark stuff. Try 48% to 50% to 60% cacao content
infused with spices, fruits, and nuts. You can do this the easy way! Yeah, 70%
is good but it takes a sophisticated palate and it is an acquired taste.
The Surprising Secrets To Savor: Chocolate
Keeps The Doctor Away
Disease
How Chocolate Works
Obesity: Monounsaturated
fats in dark chocolate satisfy your hunger and chocolate tends to a sweet
tooth, so overindulgence in food and calories is not a problem.
Heart Disease: Antioxidants in dark chocolate help to lower the
risk of heart disease of all kinds.
Diabetes: Dark chocolate may cut the amount
of "bad" LDL cholesterol in the blood, which may lower the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes.
Longevity: Dark chocolate in moderation lowers the risk
of obesity, heart disease, diabetes--all diseases that can shorten lifespan.
5 Chocolate's Compounds, Mood Enhancers
Here, take a quick look
how you can get a quick heart-healthy mood booster from some of the most talked
about compounds in chocolate.
Anandamide: Touted as the "bliss chemical," it occurs naturally in
the brain and when released to our brain receptors can provide good feelings.
Caffeine: The ingredient has a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
But note, both chocolate and cocoa contain minimal amounts of caffeine. Did you
know that there isn't a whole lot of caffeine in any kind of chocolate? A
1-ounce piece of dark chocolate contains 10-20 milligrams of caffeine.
Endorphins: Dark chocolate, like exercise, help release endorphins, natural
painkillers in your body that act on the nervous system to alleviate pain.
PEA: Another
brain chemical can increase blood pressure and feelings of excitement and
alertness. It also has been called the "love drug" because it can
mimic feeling of falling in love.
Serotonin: This is a brain chemical that can make you feel happier. It is
another compound in chocolate that can provide a calming effect. When your
serotonin level is low, you may feel down.
The bottom line: Savor a scoop of dark chocolate gelato. Munch on a handful of dark chocolate chips in
homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit. Or make a batch of dark chocolate
pumpkin cookies for a pre-Halloween treat. Dump the guilt. A bit of chocolate
is good for your mind and body!
(Excerpt from The Healing Powers of
Chocolate (Kensington)
-- Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include
the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea,
Superfoods, Essential Oils, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The
collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Her website is http://www.calorey.com.
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