Chocoholism: A health benefit?
It's an intense craving, an uncontrollable desire and a desperate
need for the instant satisfaction. It's a craving for chocolate.
Chocolate is the most commonly craved food in the United States. Research
shows that 40 percent of women and 15 percent of men experience the need
for chocolate. Many experts disagree that chocolate addiction really
exists. However, many chocoholics display addictive behaviors, such as
secretly consuming chocolate, bingeing and trying to avoid it only to end
up overeating. For those who experience these behaviors, the addiction is
very real.
 Whether
or not chocolate is addictive, research suggests chocolate may be good for
you. Recent studies show that chocolate is packed with antioxidants known
as polyphenols that may protect against heart disease and cancer.
Antioxidants absorb free radicals in the body. Free radicals can damage
cells, leading to disease. People who eat antioxidant-rich diets have
lower rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease. While antioxidants have
always been thought to come from traditional healthy foods like fruits and
vegetables, red wine, black tea and chocolate were recently identified as
good antioxidant sources. Now chocoholics have an excuse to eat the sweet
stuff!
Pure chocolate comes from cocoa beans, the seeds of a fruit grown on
Theobroma cacao trees, found predominantly in South America. Chocolate in
its most processed form is loaded with extra oils and sugars. The more fat
in the chocolate, the weaker the antioxidants. Dark chocolate and baking
cocoa are excellent sources of polyphenols because much of the original
cocoa bean remains intact after processing. However, chocolate in its more
processed form is loaded with extra oils and sugars lowering its level of
polyphenols. So, while a bar of dark chocolate weighing about 1.5 ounces
contains approximately 950 milligrams of antioxidants, a similar bar of
milk chocolate contains about only about 400 milligrams. White chocolate
is a confection of fat and sugar and contains no antioxidants at all.
Is
it caffeine you're worried about? Chocolate's caffeine level has been
exaggerated. While a one-ounce chocolate bar has 10-20 milligrams of
caffeine, a six-ounce cup of coffee contains approximately 105 milligrams.
Chocolate has about a 10th of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.
Chocolate's chemical properties may add just the right touch to your
Valentine's Day plans. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which research
suggests is a stimulant released during intimacy. Studies also suggest
that carbohydrates found in chocolate increase serotonin, a chemical that
affects mood by increasing appetite and sexual interest.
Healthy eating tips
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