The health benefits of eating dark chocolate

AccuWeather

If you're craving the sweets with chocolate, there is one specific type of chocolate that actually offers some health benefits. The Cleveland Clinic explains the advantages of eating dark chocolate.

Transcript

00:00 (upbeat music)

00:02 No matter how much you enjoy it,

00:07 in a candy bar, a drink, or drizzled over ice cream,

00:10 chocolate is a favorite for many.

00:12 And although it's delicious,

00:14 it's not always nutritious, unless it's dark chocolate.

00:17 - Dark chocolates have high levels of flavonoids,

00:20 which is a plant-based chemical that has anti-viral,

00:24 anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

00:27 - Beth Cerwony is a registered dietitian

00:29 with the Cleveland Clinic.

00:31 She says dark chocolate directly relates

00:33 to cardiovascular health.

00:35 - So decreasing blood pressure, decreasing stroke risk,

00:39 and decreasing just overall heart disease.

00:42 - The antioxidants don't just improve blood flow

00:44 to your skin, but can protect it from sun damage.

00:48 Dark chocolate is typically non-dairy,

00:50 has less sugar than other chocolates,

00:52 and contains more minerals,

00:53 including iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper.

00:56 But to get those health benefits,

00:58 it's important to make sure you're buying

00:59 the right kind of chocolate.

01:01 Keep an eye out for dark chocolate

01:02 that has 70 or 85% cocoa.

01:05 But just because it's good for you,

01:07 doesn't mean you should go overboard.

01:09 - A recent study that came out in 2017

01:11 really said that one ounce, three times a week,

01:15 and really no more than that,

01:16 is really where you're gonna get your health benefits.

01:18 So too much of a good thing

01:19 really can be too much of a good thing.

01:21 - For AccuWeather, I'm Melissa Konstanzer.

01:24 (upbeat music)

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended