Dark Chocolate
Written by Chicagohealers.com practitioner Dr
Written by Chicagohealers.com practitioner Dr. Martha Howard~
What boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure, is high in free-radical-fighting antioxidants, combats depression, and even works as a cavity fighter? Dark chocolate!!
How does it do all that? Part of it is antioxidant activity. According to MD chocolate researcher, Dr. Sue Williams of Baylor University Medical Center, (who makes and sells her own fabulous chocolate) dark chocolate has 510 milligrams of flavanols , (protective plant nutrients) per 100 grams than the following well-known antioxidant foods which weigh in at the following flavanol numbers: apples 110 mg, cherries 96 mg. brewed black tea 65 mg. or red wine, 65 mg.
Antioxidant activity is measured in ORAC units. The ORAC score per 100 grams of unprocessed raw cacao is 28,000. Acai is 18,000, Strawberries are 1,540, and spinach is 1,260. The score for the usual manufactured dark chocolate is still 13,120, which is still very high. For milk chocolate, the score goes down to 6,740.
The high antioxidant levels give chocolate its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a rich source of minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese, and some of the B Vitamins.
But who would think chocolate would lower blood pressure? By far my favorite dark chocolate study was done in 2001 at Harvard. The head researcher Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, MD, professor of medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School was inspired by learning about residents of a Panama island who almost never developed high blood pressure, and drank 5 cups of cocoa a day. When they left the island and their cocoa, they were vulnerable to high blood pressure. He wanted to find out why, so he gave Boston volunteers cups of cocoa, either with high levels of flavanols or low levels. (It was tough work to be in that study but somebody had to do it!) The people with the high level cocoa showed more nitric oxide activity, which lowers blood pressure and promotes cardiovascular health. Problem solved!
Other studies have shown that phenylethylamine in chocolate has antidepressant value, and that chocolate even has a cavity-fighting compound, theobrominewhich may be just as good as fluoride at hardening tooth enamel. Unfortunately, most chocolate has lots of sugar, so that promotes tooth decay.
Which brings us to some suggestions for enjoying the health benefits of chocolate:
# Use organic, dark chocolate. Amazon has a number of brands listed under natural cocoa powder
Commercial cocoa, candy bars and chocolate syrups arent going to do it for you. The way they are processed removes most flavenols.
# Try making your cup of cocoa with almond milk, rice milk, soy milk or a mix of 2/3 cup coconut milk and 1/3 cup water rather than dairy milk. Dairy milk lowers the antioxidant value of the chocolate. Heat the milk and add a small amount of it to a heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder, stir until smooth and then add it to the rest of the heated milk. Add agave nectar to tasteusually 1 to 3 teaspoons. Stir well, pour into your favorite mug and drink.
# Try a dark chocolate bar (Endangered Species is a good brand) that is sweetened with unprocessed beet sugar or agave nectar rather than cane sugar.
# Gourmet brands of dark chocolate with organic sugar are most likely to still have their flavanols, their ORAC rating, and their health value.
Enjoy your chocolate. Im about to pretend like Im on an island in Panama, and try a few days of 5 cups of cocoa a day!
We encourage reproducing our articles as long as you link back to this page.
Back to Articles
Avocados: Hearty healthy aphrodisiac or simply great guacamole?
by Sharon M. Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI, FACW, FAAN
I, for one, love a good bowl of guacamole; I also love the avocado, and it sure is great to know that something that tastes so good is also good for you!
Why are avocados good for you?
Avocados provide a wealth of health benefits; lets examine them:
- Heart-health
- Potassium and cholesterol-lowering properties promote heart health
- Folate lowers the risk of heart disease and heart attacks
- Cancer Prevention
- Phytochemicals help to prevent oral cancer
- May prevent prostate and breast cancers
- Digestive Health
- Contains 30% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber
- Skin Health
- Essential oils for glowing skin
- Promote Optimal Health
- Potassium to support muscle recovery in athletes
- Avocados are High in Fat
- The fat in avocado is unsaturated oleic acid ; it is good for the body and helps to absorb more nutrients from food
How much to eat
Like all good things, use them in moderation. A whole avocado has about 240 calories. Avocados offer variety to the well balanced, low-fat diet, but you have to eat them in moderation. So, what is moderation? A recommended serving size is 2 tablespoons, or roughly one-sixth of a medium-sized avocado. Each serving provides 5 grams of fat and 55 calories. Highyes, but still so much better than butter or mayonnaise. www.WebMD.com/Diet/Avocado/Go
Why are they an aphrodisiac?
The Aztecs taught us that Vitamin E in the avocado promotes sexual health through production of sex hormones, which support attraction, mood and desire. Avocados are also rich in vitamin B6 and potassium, essential for the production of sex hormones. News.Yahoo.com/Avocados/Go
How do you serve avocado?
I like avocado in a multitude of ways, including:
As a garnish for black bean soup
On bread as a healthy replacement for mayo when making a sandwich
As a salad ingredient
To compliment your favorite Mexican dish with a wedge of lime
And, one of my favorite recipes is Harvest Salad. Assemble the following:
1. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2. 1 bunch spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
3. 1/2 cup dried cranberries
4. 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
5. 2 tomatoes, chopped
6. 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
7. 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
8. 2 tablespoons red raspberry jam (with seeds)
9. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10. 1/3 cup walnut oil
11. freshly ground black pepper to taste
12. salt to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Arrange walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Toast in oven for 5 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and red onion.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together jam, vinegar, walnut oil, pepper, and salt.
6. Pour over the salad just before serving, and toss to coat.
ChicagoHealers.com mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle.
Please give credit to the original author when republishing all or part of any article. Also, kindly link back to www.ChicagoHealers.com.
by: ChicagoHealers
4G Wireless Helping You Find Artisan Chocolates in The South East Why Is There Chocolate On This Doughnut? Chocolate Facts Green Mountain - Hot Cocoa Chocolate Kcups Recipe for Iced Chocolate Biscuits Recipe For Cold Chocolate Souffle Some informative Facts about Chocolate and its Varieties 3 Easily-Made Chocolate Sauces That Taste Better Than Store-Bought Seo And Chocolate Cake, Not As Different As You May Think Recipe For Chocolate Bavarian Cream Crazy Diversion Guide Why Not Fly To Vegas Just To Eat Desage Chocolates By Ramon Desage The Best Chocolate Recipe For Holidays Recipe For Iced Chocolate Biscuits