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Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate in the Winter : Eating dark chocolate with high cocoa content in moderation can deliver antioxidants and minerals and may help protect you from heart disease. But it may also contain high amounts of sugar and calories.

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Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate in the Winter

1.Very nutritious

11 grams of fiber
66% of the DV for iron
57% of the DV for magnesium
196% of the DV for copper
85% of the DV for manganes

2.powerful source of antioxidants

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). It measures food antioxidants.
Researchers pit harmful free radicals against a food sample to evaluate how well its antioxidants can fight them.
These research say cocoa is antioxidant-rich. ORAC values are tested in a test tube and may not have the same biological effect in the body.
Human studies demonstrate chocolate’s antioxidant benefits vary. Experts think there isn’t enough evidence to confirm (2Trusted Source).
Dark chocolate contains bioactive, antioxidant chemical components. Polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins are examples.
Dark chocolate polyphenols may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol when coupled with almonds and cocoa, according to studies (3Trusted Source).

3. May improve blood flow and lower blood pressure

The endothelium, which lines arteries, produces NO due to dark chocolate flavanoids (5).
NO signals arteries to relax, lowering blood flow resistance and blood pressure.
Although modest, cocoa and dark chocolate enhance blood flow and reduce blood pressure in many controlled studies (6Trusted Source, 7).
One study in type 2 diabetics with high blood pressure found no impact, therefore be skeptical (8Trusted Source). Cocoa flavanols may not aid high blood pressure patients.
Due to the wide range of studies on this topic, further research is needed (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

4. Raises HDL and protects LDL from oxidation

Dark chocolate improves various heart disease risk factors. Possibly prevents high cholesterol.
Lycopene-enriched dark chocolate significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides in a small research (11Trusted Source).
LDL cholesterol that reacts with free radicals is more prone to oxidize. LDL particles become reactive and can damage other tissues, such as heart artery lining, when oxidized.
Cocoa lowering oxidation-prone LDL makes sense. Its strong antioxidants enter the bloodstream and protect lipoproteins from oxidative damage (3Trusted Source).
Dark chocolate flavanols lower insulin resistance, another risk factor for heart disease and diabetes (12Trusted Source).
However, dark chocolate contains sugar, which can reverse the effect.

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