So the fluffy white egg-laying (chocolate) hybrid has been
and gone, and has left many of us questioning our (over) consumption
of chocolate in the name of Easter, but is it really that
bad? While there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest chocolate
has the potential to offer protection against heart disease
and cancer - the benefit is small and can much more easily
be achieved in other ways. Also any such benefit will be far
outweighed through excessive consumption. The potential benefit
from chocolate comes from the cocoa. The higher the cocoa
content therefore the greater any possible benefit. This means
milk chocolate offers less benefit and white chocolate no
benefit at all. So dark chocolate is best but it is so rich
people usually eat much smaller amounts.
Chocolate myths busted!
Chocolate gives you pimples
False!
Real chocolate contains anti-oxidants, which can actually
help your skin look better. However the milk that is often
mixed with chocolate can cause acne.
Chocolate causes cavities
False!
Foods that contain fermentable carbohydrates (FCs) cause cavities.
Although FCs are found in chocolate, the cocoa butter in chocolate
coats the teeth, making it less likely to cause tooth decay.
While chocolate may be high in sugar, it melts quickly in
your mouth. This leaves little time for bacteria to attack
your teeth and cause cavities. However, like all high sugar
foods - moderation is certainly the key.
Chocolate is high in caffeine
False!
The amount of caffeine in a piece of chocolate is a lot lower
than a cup of coffee. A regular cup of coffee has 130-150
mg of caffeine, while an ounce of milk chocolate contains
only 6 mg.
Chocolate may protect against heart disease
True!
Real chocolate can help prevent heart problems because it’s
high in cocoa butter, which reduces cholesterol. Real chocolate
also has vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium
and potassium, which all help muscles, joints and nerves function
normally.
Chocolate may protect against cancer
True!
Dark chocolate is a great source of flavonoids, which contain
antioxidants that protect you from toxins in the environment
like cigarette smoke. Scientists have found that dark chocolate
has four times the antioxidants of green tea. Approximately
100 ml of tea contains 13.9 mg of catechins (an antioxidant
that fights cancer), whereas 100 g of chocolate has 53.5 mg.
(Yes! Bring it on!)
Chocolate causes migraine headaches
False.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of chocolate’s
ability to induce headaches in 63 women with chronic headache
was conducted in 1997 at the University of Pittsburgh Pain
Evaluation and Treatment Institute. The University of Pittsburgh
study concluded that “contrary to the commonly held
belief of patients and physicians, chocolate does not appear
to play a significant role in triggering headaches in typical
migraine, tension-type or combined headache sufferers.”
However, while the science has been so far unable to prove
the connection - many migraine sufferers are convinced of
a connection.
Chocolate is addictive
False.
Although many people experience cravings for chocolate, there
is little evidence from existing studies that these are due
to addiction.
Chocolate is an aphrodisiac?
“?”
Chocolate is the traditional gift of love, ranking right up
there with roses as the most romantic gift one can give. But
is it really an aphrodisiac? There is no definitive evidence
to say yes. However, chocolate contains three substances,
caffeine, theobromine and phenyethylamine that might be related
to this myth. Caffeine acts as a stimulant. Theobromine stimulates
the heart muscle and the nervous system and phenyethylamine
is reputed to be a mood elevator and an anti- depressant.
The combination of these three substances, giving you extra
energy, making your heart beat faster, making you a bit jumpy
and slightly giddy....well, you can see how chocolate could
be linked to love. In fact, Montezuma used to drink a frothy
chocolate beverage before going to visit one of his wives.
Before you go out to buy several cases of chocolate to ply
your lover with tonight, remember that these substances show
up only in small quantities in chocolate and the calories
that you consume will likely turn you into a super size Venus
rather than the lusty type!
(Exerpts MSN Health)
“Kim Patra is a qualified Registered Nurse and Midwife
that has been living and working in Bali for almost twenty
years. She now runs her own private practice and medical referral
service from her Kuta office. Kim is happy to discuss any
health concerns with you and she may be contacted via e-mail
at info@chcbali.com or Hp. 081 2366 0000”.
