It is certain that chocolate sales have risen this Sunday coinciding with Valentine's Day, as lovers greatly prefer to choose these delicious confections made from cocoa beans as the perfect gift on this day to express their love and passion.
In fact, people love chocolate because it contains stimulants that make us feel positive, lively, and romantic, not to mention its irresistible taste. However, we would also like to present five notable benefits of consuming chocolate, which include:
1. **Improving Mood**: Chocolate contains anandamide, which means happiness and joy in Hindi, and it also contains the chemical compound phenylethylamine (PEA), which is said to enhance our feelings of love as well. Additionally, the caffeine found in chocolate acts as a stimulant and provides the same stimulating effect as coffee, since both are made from cocoa beans.
2. **Reducing Stress**: Studies have found evidence that the polyphenols present in cocoa used in chocolate preparation can reduce stress. Both dark chocolate and milk chocolate contain these polyphenols. It is said that stress indicates an increase in oxidative damage to our systems, while the antioxidants in chocolate neutralize the oxidative damage caused by free radicals and reduce our stress. Furthermore, dark chocolate contains higher levels of flavonoids compared to milk chocolate because the absorption of flavonoids is impeded by milk proteins.
3. **Beneficial for the Brain**: Chocolate contains flavonoid compounds, which are antioxidant molecules that help improve brain function and capacity. They also protect the neurons in the brain and enhance our cognitive abilities regarding memory and learning. For the elderly, chocolate also protects against the decline of mental capacities and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
4. **Protecting the Heart**: According to studies, the consumption of dark chocolate, in particular, has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke. Chocolate helps lower blood pressure and prevents artery constriction and the accumulation of deposits, reducing the likelihood of heart attacks. Dark chocolate also maintains vasodilation and helps blood flow naturally throughout the body.
5. **Protecting the Kidneys**: Researchers have found that dark chocolate offers some protective effects on the kidneys. The flavonoid compounds present in dark chocolate help maintain the delivery of adequate amounts of oxygen to the kidney tissues, which is essential for the proper function of the kidneys.
