| |
| |
| Is Chocolate A New Health Food?
Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually be good for us? This is the nutrition news we have all been waiting for. So here is the scoop on chocolate and its health benefits. Yes, you read right, health benefits! Recent studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. They contain a compound called flavonoids which may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood. There is also some evidence that these flavonoids may prevent certain cancers. It is important that we are all on the same page here, not all chocolate have these health benefits. The healthy flavonoids found in chocolate are found in the cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Milk chocolate is diluted with milk and sugar and contains little amounts of these substances, therefore providing fewer health benefits. So, for those of you who love dark chocolate this is your lucky day! The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa content and the more antioxidants it contains. The quality of the chocolate you consume is also important. The cocoa butter is quite pricey so less expensive brands will replace the cocoa butter with milk fats and hydrogenated oils which are bad for our health. Look for high quality chocolates with their main ingredients being cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the purest forms of chocolate you can eat and is lower in fat and calories than other chocolates. Although this is great news for all chocolate lovers, don't forget that most chocolate (unless you use unsweetened cocoa powder) does still contain sugar and saturated fat. And please remember calories. An ounce of chocolate contains around 135 calories. So enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or an ounce of chocolate once in awhile to contribute to your health and not to your waistline! Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has received a bachelor's degree in both nutrition and psychology and has extensive experience in nutrition counseling and medical nutrition therapy. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. Meri specializes in weight management, cardiovascular health, and sports nutrition and consults with professional athletes at Titan Sports Performance Center. Her practice includes teaching people how to eat for endurance, improve vitality, and lose weight healthfully. For more information visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
You Are What You Eat Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of diverse, yet related sub-systems, coordinated and operated by a three pound mass of wrinkled gray matter known as your brain. Yes, our bodies are a true miracle, a wonder to behold. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar is a product of apple juice fermentation. Sounds like nothing extraordinary, but indeed its benefits are measureless. Vegetarian Lifestyle Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the world. From good health to sufficient energy in your daily life. Best Skin Diet For Healthy Skin "You are what you eat."Does it sound familiar? You probably have heard of it. Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 3) AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by evolution, how was aging chosen?Why for example at certain age animals do not die instantly and just give the room for the next generation. Nurturing is one explanation at least for human society. Food Additives Affect Behavior On average 30% of foods in our daily diet are processed foods. These are foods that come in a box or a can and have many ingredients that are hard to pronounce, containing food starches, gums, preservatives, and colorings. MonaVie Acai Berry Juice - The Tree of Life from Amazonian Rainforest... What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known for centuries, the world is just discovering. That an ancient berry, called the Acai Berry, may cause a sexual sensation. Essential Fatty Acids - Americas Major Dietary Deficiency America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good healthToday you cannot so much turn a corner without seeing a sign on a fast food restaurant's window boasting the "Low Carb" menu. You cannot read a magazine without seeing an ad for "Adkins friendly" foods. Antioxidants - Add a Lean, Muscular Body to the List of Benefits! I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant rich foods in your diet. Not only do these free-radical fighting antioxidants help you look and feel younger by slowing down the aging process, but they also help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and loads of other degenerative diseases. Sugar, America's Drug of Choice Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change the way our metabolism uses specific amino acids to make the neurotransmitters needed for proper brain function. The Skinny on Oats, Oatmeal, Vitamins, Nutrition for Skin Care and Bath Products Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that produces a fibrous root and a hollow jointed stem with narrow, flat, pale-green leaves. Oats are native to southern Europe and eastern Asia. Seasonings: Add More Than Just Flavor Besides providing taste, color, and aroma, certain seasonings can also add health to your meals. Herbs and spices contain phytochemicals which are natural health promoting substances and have been found to protect us against diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Alcohol Addiction and Obesity People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of making it to the Obesity chart. Pure alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Whats Missing Could Be Making You Sick Here's something you probably don't know. The fruit and vegetables you eat today are not as nutritious as the food from fifty years ago. A Look at Lactose Intolerance Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in milk. Cow's milk contains 4-5% lactose, whereas human milk contains almost twice that amount. Fruit for Breakfast - The Secret to a Healthy Life Do you want more energy? How about more of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that your body craves? Try eating fruit for breakfast! Fresh fruit - apples, grapefruit, strawberries, cherries, oranges, kiwi, melon, and grapes all count. In fact, any fruit works - and there are so many to choose from. Nutrition For Your Young Athlete Nutrition is extremely important for any young person, especially an athletic one, and even more so during the developmental years of their life. Whether your child is involved in soccer or football, gymnastics or swimming or Little League, he or she needs a good nutritive balance in order to be successful in any endeavor. Grains That Cause Illness Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long been consider a healthy choice. If you look at the RDA recommendations, grains, at the bottom of the pyramid, are what you should be eating the most of to maintain a healthy body. What You Need To Know About Inflammation Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a defense mechanism to limit tissue damage. What is Organic Farming? Organic farming is the production of food using all natural methods - avoiding all synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Its' core philosophy is that of sustainability or 'zero impact'.
|
| © 2006 |
