However, after the latest argument of experts reveals N truths about chocolate and health, you need not be afraid, because many worries in the past are actually unnecessary. ...
Let's take a look at the nutrients contained in chocolate: it can provide a variety of nutrients for the body every day, providing more protein, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B2 than pretzels, French fries and many other snacks. A 40-gram milk chocolate contains about 3 grams of protein, which is riboflavin 15%, calcium 9% and iron 7% needed by human body every day. Almond and peanut chocolate is more nutritious. Milk chocolate containing almonds can also increase the content of calcium, iron and riboflavin.
Chocolate milk provides more zinc, potassium, niacin and riboflavin than whole milk. Pure milk provides a little more calcium, protein and vitamin B. As for all other nutrients, the content of pure milk and chocolate milk is similar.
Numerous scientific studies show that chocolate is a healthy and nutritious food, and there are many reasons for falling in love with chocolate:
Many people overestimate the calories in chocolate. A 40-gram bar of milk chocolate contains about 2 10 calories-enough calories to be included in a weight-control diet.
Some surveys show that many overweight people don't eat too much sugary food. It is more important to control the daily total calorie intake and energy consumption in physical activity. For example, overweight children are usually not as active as normal-weight children. In this way, even if their calorie intake reaches a reasonable level or is restricted, they may still remain overweight.
It is generally believed that all foods containing fermentable carbohydrates will play a potential role in the formation of dental caries. Fermentable carbohydrates exist in starch and sugar, including those found in food and added to processed food.
Although chocolate contains fermentable carbohydrates, many dental experts show that chocolate may not be as easy to cause tooth decay as traditionally thought. Studies by the Foces Dental Center and the School of Dentistry of the University of Pennsylvania show that cocoa powder and chocolate may offset the sugar and acid contained in them. Cocoa powder and chocolate have also been proved to slow down the demineralization process, which is an activity that directly leads to dental caries.
In addition, a study by Hysmans Dental Center in Rochester, new york, found that milk chocolate and chocolate biscuits are one of the snacks that cause the least dental caries. "Milk chocolate is rich in protein, calcium, phosphate and other minerals," the researchers report. All these protect the enamel of teeth. In addition, because of its natural fat content, milk chocolate passes through the mouth relatively faster than other sweets. These factors are considered to be that milk chocolate is not prone to caries. "
With people's increasing concern about maintaining heart health, fat (especially saturated fat) is listed as a substance that seems to be avoided. The latest research shows that not all saturated fats have the same effect.
Cocoa butter in chocolate is a natural fat in cocoa beans, which consists of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and other small amounts (less than 5%). Studies have shown that cocoa butter, despite its high saturated fat content, does not raise blood cholesterol like other saturated fats. This is because the saturated fatty acids in chocolate contain a lot of stearic acid and palmitic acid. Does stearic acid have a neutralizing effect on cholesterol? Don't rise or fall? However, palmitic acid can slightly reduce cholesterol concentration, so saturated fatty acids in chocolate have no effect on blood cholesterol level. Oleic acid in monounsaturated fatty acids can reduce the cholesterol concentration in the body.
Scientists are studying the potential effects of chocolate polyphenols on cardiovascular health. Preliminary studies have shown that those substances that may have antioxidant effects may help maintain cardiovascular health. A study found that after volunteers ate chocolate, the time required for blood oxidation was prolonged and the total antioxidant capacity of their blood was improved. Therefore, the results of this preliminary study show that eating chocolate as part of a healthy diet is helpful to maintain cardiovascular health.
Low density lipoprotein in chocolate is a complex of fat and protein, which can carry cholesterol and fat in the blood circulation. In order to maintain the health of cardiovascular system, we should not only maintain the normal level of LDL cholesterol, but also maintain the normal oxidation rate of LDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated fatty acids in chocolate contain effective components, which are also oleic acid and linolenic acid with antioxidant effect.
Studies in the past 20 years have shown that chocolate can neither cause nor worsen acne. Acne is the result of excessive activity of skin oil glands in adolescence. There is no need to touch the diet.
In a study conducted by the Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, an experimental group ate a chocolate-like food without chocolate, in which 28% of plant fat imitated the fat contained in chocolate pulp and cocoa butter. The other group ate real chocolate, but the chocolate bars tested contained chocolate paste 10 times that of ordinary 40 grams of chocolate. The result of the test is that the situation of acne in the group that eats chocolate is almost the same as that in the group that doesn't eat chocolate.
You don't have to worry that chocolate contains a lot of caffeine, because people consume very little caffeine when eating a normal amount of chocolate. For example, 28.35 grams of milk chocolate contains about 6 milligrams of caffeine, which is roughly the same as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. In addition, there are many research results that will surprise you. For example, eating chocolate candy occasionally can also reduce the possibility of alcoholism, and drinking chocolate milk may be beneficial to lactose allergy.