Super Healthy Nutrients in Chocolate

Chocolate comes from cocoa fruit. It is actually one of the most healthy fruits commonly eaten by man! Here are some cocoa’s nutrients that give your health positive effects as I excerpt from an article in www.astrologyzine.com.

Antioxidants

Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world! Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) score per 100 grams of unprocessed raw cacao is 28,000, dark chocolate is 13,120, milk chocolate is 6,740, compared to 18,500 for acai berries, 1,540 for strawberries, and only 1,260 for raw spinach.

The antioxidants in fresh cocoa beans are Flavanols. They are type of bioflavonoid antioxidants; the strong antioxidants that help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Flavanols in cocoa, especially the Epicatechins, prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries. They help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.

Cocoa beans contain 10,000 milligrams of Flavanol per 100 grams(10 %), processed cocoa powder (defatted, roasted and treated with potassium carbonate) and chocolate candy range in Flavanol content from 500 milligrams in normal chocolate bars, to 5,000 milligrams per 100 grams in Cocoapro cocoa powder from the Mars Corporation.

Recent research has demonstrated that the antioxidants found in cacao beans are highly stable and easily available to the human metabolism. Of all known foods, cacao is also the only food which does not lose its ORAC over significant periods of time. So cocoa is the most potent source of antioxidants and also a source of the most usable antioxidants found in natural food.
Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and keep them from damaging the DNA and mitochondria of the body's cells, which is a major cause of many degenerative diseases, cancer tumors, heart disease, and premature aging.

Researchers are excited by the potential of Flavanols to ward off vascular disease, which can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and even dementia. Vascular diseases, including Erectile Dysfunction (ED) which is common in men over age 40, are connected to the inability of an artery to make Nitric Oxide (NO). It is a critical component in healthy blood flow and blood pressure control. It appears that flavanols help reverse that problem. Thus eating healthy chocolate might help men over 40 to enjoy a more active sex life without having to rely on expensive drugs.

Studies have indicated that consuming dark chocolate produced an increased sensitivity to Insulin (which indicates a protective effect against diabetes).

Minerals and Vitamins

Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a good source of the minerals Magnesium, Sulphur, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Potassium, and Manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins, which are associated with brain health.

Research by Dr. Bernard Jensen indicates that the heart muscle requires Magnesium and Potassium more than any other minerals. In the heart muscle Magnesium is concentrated eighteen times greater than in the bloodstream. The overall strength and vigor of the heart muscle and its ability to pump effectively is enhanced by the presence of Magnesium. This mineral also decreases blood coagulation and thus can lower blood pressure. Magnesium also balances brain chemistry, and helps build strong bones. Eighty percent of Americans are deficient in Magnesium, which is linked to hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, and PMT. Cocoa beans and organic dark chocolate are the #1 best food sources of Magnesium.

Cocoa has a high content of Sulfur. It helps build strong nails and hair, promotes healthy and beautiful skin, helps detoxify the liver, and supports healthy functioning of the pancreas.

Amino Acids

Cocoa also contains the amino acid Tryptophan which makes the neurotransmitter known as Serotonin, Dopamine and Phenylethylamine (PEA). These neurotransmitters help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well-being. Cocoa also contains Anandamide which stimulates blissful feelings, and Monoamine Oxidase (MAO)-Inhibitors, which help improve our mood by allowing Serotonin and Dopamine to remain unbroken in the bloodstream longer.

PEA helps promote mental alertness and the ability to concentrate. It can be of help to students taking tests, and to senior citizens who want to retain the mental capacity of a younger person and postpone the onset of dementia.

Natural organic chocolate also contains other active substances, such as Arginine (nature's aphrodisiac), Epicatechins (antioxidants), Histamine, Tyramine, Salsolinol.