RECIPES
Chocolate has been around for years, and many people around the world love this sweet treat for its delectable taste. However, in more recent years, studies have found that chocolate isn’t just good—it’s also healthy for you in the right amounts! One of its most notable health benefits is that it decreases your risk of stroke and other heart diseases. But even with its discovered positive benefits, not everyone is convinced that chocolate can be good for you. Here are some of the most common myths about chocolate explained:
1. Chocolate causes acne.
While any teenager or young adult will tell you that chocolate can really cause acne, there are actually many studies that go as far back as the 1960s that say otherwise. All of the findings from these studies could not establish a correlation between chocolate consumption and acne. The conclusion? What you eat does not necessarily have an impact on acne development or treatment.
2. Chocolate has no nutritional value.
This one is hard for us to believe, because of the recent findings of chocolate’s health benefits. But for those of you who are still not convinced, chew on this: a typical dark chocolate bar has nearly as many antioxidants as 2/3rds of a cup of blueberries or 2 ¾ cups of green tea. But the nutritional value of chocolate doesn’t stop there; Chocolate also contains dietary fibers and minerals such as magnesium and iron!
3. Chocolate causes cavities.
The bacteria on your teeth, also known as plaque, are attracted to the sugars and starches from the foods you eat, such as chocolate. When they metabolize these sugars and starches, they produce acids, which can eventually lead to cavity formation. However, studies have shown that chocolate actually has less of an effect on plaque than regular table sugar. An additional study found that the main ingredient of chocolate, the cocoa bean, can actually help fight against mouth bacteria and tooth decay!
4. Chocolate can make you gain weight.
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health discovered that the participants who consumed a small amount of chocolate for each day for five days actually acquired a lower body mass index (BMI)—even the participants who ate more calories overall or didn’t exercise as much as other participants!
Chocolate is known to provide numerous benefits, and studies are discovering more and more of these benefits every year. The moral of this is to not be afraid of eating chocolate because of these common myths—chocolate is actually your best friend!