Orlando Santos Bilan

Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet treats in the world. It is popular mostly in Europe and the United States. People in Europe and in the US consume roughly more than 3 million tons of cocoa beans a year as statistically reported by the World Cocoa Foundation. Not only does consuming chocolates make you feel good, your heart and your brain also benefits from eating chocolates. There are Three (3) Types of Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Milk Chocolate White Chocolate Chocolates came from a tree called Theobroma Cacao, a native tree found in South America. Cacao Trees or Theobroma Cacao bear fruit that is similar to the size and shape of a papaya. Seeds are harvested by hands as machines could injure the trees. The workers then remove the pods and open them with a machete. These seeds are placed in a large fermentation tray that is stacked and covered with banana leaves and leaves them for two to seven days. The fermentation produces the rich chocolate flavor and aroma. It also breaks the seed’s embryo, preventing that unwanted germination and causes the white pulp to fall off from the seeds. After its fermenting stage, the beans are dried out on sunny platforms. The workers then turn them several times a day for three to five days to complete drying. Beans can dry faster in rotary driers but sun-dried beans would taste better. The beans are then taken to the Chocolate Factory to be cleaned and separate inedible debris from the seeds. Workers, then roast the seeds in a large rotating oven. Roasting the seeds gives out the flavor and it also allows them to separate themselves from their hulls. After roasting, the beans go into a machine that cracks the beans. The remains from it are called nib. Those nibs become chocolate. The nibs are then ground with a series of rollers. This process results in a thick paste called Chocolate liquor. A Chocolate Liquor does not contain alcohol, Chocolate Liqueur does. Like we’ve discussed in the introduction. Chocolate is not just for pleasure or just a sweet treat, it also has health benefits and here are the top 10 health benefits of eating Chocolates. 1.) IT LIFTS YOUR MOOD The smell of Chocolate increases brain waves activity which causes or trigger relaxation to our brain and to our body. Chocolate is the best thing to eat if you’re feeling blue. Chocolate releases and increases your serotonin, an antidepressant that boosts your mood. It also causes your brain to release a neurotransmitter phenylethylamine, or known as “Love Drug.” 2.) Improves Blood Flow Dark Chocolate contains Antioxidants that stimulates the lining of the arteries creating a gas which sends a signal to the arteries causing them to relax, enabling blood to flow much easier. Having the blood flowing smoothly gets all the nutrients and oxygen delivered to all the body parts with no complication. 3.) IT PROTECTS YOU FROM HEART DISEASE It is rich in nutrients Chocolate with a high content of the cocoa compound is packed with lots of nutrients, including a soluble fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and potassium. Dark Chocolate also contains a slight amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats two good fats compound that reduces cholesterol levels and decreases the risk of heart disease. 4.) Slows Aging Forget about Botox. Eat a Chocolate bar instead. Dark Chocolate is rich in epicatechin, it is a flavonol that can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitogenesis is the creation of new mitochondria, which slows the body from aging. Ditch the expensive face treatments to indulge in a small amount of dark chocolate on a regular basis. 5.) It Enhances Brain Function Studies have shown that chocolate can make you smarter. In one study, adult participants were given a small bar of chocolate. After half an hour to an hour, results show that volunteer’s brain activity was measured during the cerebral cortical regions of the brain. Scientists and Researchers discovered that this increase could enhance the neuroplasticity of the brain, benefiting your behavior and brain health. More focus and fewer mood swings. 6.) It Promotes Weight Loss Yes, chocolate can help you lose weight. The compounds in Dark Chocolate appears to be highly protective against the oxidation of LDL Cholesterol, the bad cholesterol. It also lowers the chances of LDL to get oxidized. When LDL oxidizes, it means it has reacted to free radicals, which makes the particle reactive and capable to damage other tissues. 7.) It improves your gut microbiome We all have good and bad bacteria in our microbiome. The good bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactic Acid Bacteria, feed on the chocolate to survive, ferment and overpopulate the bad bacteria. Chocolate has been proven to be rich in prebiotic, the fiber in chocolate restores the lining to your gut wall. Also, chocolate is rich in magnesium, which helps keep our digestive tract or digestive system to work smoothly. 8.) It Protects your Skin from the Sun The bioactive compounds found in Dark Chocolate helps protect your skin from the scorching sun. The flavonols act as a protection against sun damage, it improves blood flow to the skin and increases skin density and hydrates your skin. 9.) It Protects you from any Diseasecausing Free Radicals One of the amazing factors that Chocolate has is its ability to fight free radicals. Free radicals are unbalanced compounds created by cellular processes in the human body, especially those environmental toxins we’re exposed on a daily basis. Antioxidants that are found in chocolates are believed to neutralize free radicals and protect the human body from their damage. 10.) Reduces your coughing Chocolate contains a chemical called “theobromine”, which studies have shown to suppress coughing by acting on the vagus nerve, this nerve is the one responsible for sending messages from the central nervous system to the brain. Bottom line is, there is considerable evidence that chocolate or cocoa can provide powerful health benefits, being especially reducing heart disease. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go all out in indulging lots of chocolate every day. Moderation should be applied as chocolate is still loaded with calories and easy to overeat. be aware that most chocolate in the market is not healthy. Choose a good quality of Dark Chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content.