Hey Everyone!
Most people have probably heard that dark chocolate can have many health benefits, but most of us, including myself, have no idea why, how, or what those health benefits are, so I decided to blog about it. Since the 1500’s people have been using cocoa to help with things from “fevers to kidney problems” says student.societyforscience.org. It has been proposed that chocolate can help the heart, fight skin cancer, protect our teeth, and more. Flavanols in the chocolate are responsible for these help benefits, a compound in the cocoa, not the sugar/butter in the candy. Although these molecules are in chocolate, many scientists believed that they just stay in the gut and then are excreted. However, scientists have been studying if bacteria in the gut help to break down these molecules. Students at LSU have developed a fake digestive system, where reactions can take place, similar to those that happen in the human body itself. They then added cocoa powder to see what happened. Results of the experiment showed that small particles in the cocoa powder can help to reduce or delay inflammation, which can help in the process of fighting off diseases. They are going to start a small trial in people to consume cocoa and see if there are changes in chemicals in that person that would show a drop in inflammation. I guess eating dark chocolate isn’t bad for you after all!! So go enjoy some!
Sources: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/some-chocolates-health-benefits-may-trace-bugs?mode=topic&context=39
As a chocolate lover, it’s really nice to know that chocolate does have some health benefits and well as the ability to help make us smarter (as we learned in class). Eating dark chocolate in moderation also has some other health benefits, such as cardiovascular benefits and the flavonoids help us when we work out! Some other benefits of dark chocolate are in this article: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/benefits-of-chocolate?page=1