Chocolate originates from the
Central and South American regions where the Mayan population viewed it as the
“food of the gods”. This divine sweet was first produced using cocoa butter,
cocoa powder and sugar. Now we have companies such as Hershey to thank for our
decadent dose of chocolate.
Cocoa beans are the base of
chocolate, although sugar is among one of the first ingredients. Cocoa beans
are rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids and flavanols, which destroy
cancer causing free radicals in the body. Cocoa beans also contain more than
300 other compounds that are beneficial to health, and when it comes to
chocolate, dark chocolate exceeds other varieties due to the greater amounts of
these health-promoting compounds.
Although chocolate has ingredients
that are rich in nutrients it should be known that there are health risks and
other issues that can emerge from excess chocolate consumption: gum disease,
cavities, and weight gain are a few.
Chocolate is rich in sugar. Consuming just one full size bar of
Hershey’s milk chocolate will provide 24 grams of sugar, which is a vast
majority of the recommended daily sugar intake of 25 grams for woman, and 37.5
grams for men. Dietitian Alison Hornby reinforces the bittersweet reality of
chocolate by saying that, “As an occasional treat, chocolate can be part of a
healthy diet. Eaten too frequently, it is an unhealthy choice.” What it comes
down to, is consuming cherished foods with self-discipline and a level head.
See the full article at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295615.php
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