We all have our own preferences when it comes to comfort food—some people turn to warm dishes like mashed potatoes or soup, while others turn to sugar.
Chocolate, especially, is a yummy sweet that’s loved by many, and besides it being good for your taste buds, it’s also good for your health. Check out these five benefits of chocolate that’ll easily keep you guilt-free this Valentine’s Day.
Considering February is also Heart Health Awareness Month, it seems fitting that consuming chocolate can lead to your boosting heart health.
Not only does the tasty snack provide inflammation-fighting properties, which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but also it lowers both blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Show your heart some love when you find yourself in the candy aisle and stock up with your chocolatey faves!
The last thing you’d probably think chocolate could benefit is your diet, but yes, it’s true—having a bite or two of chocolate (especially dark) can help keep you fuller due to its high mineral contents. It can also lessen your cravings for other sweet, salty or fatty foods… which may help you lose weight all around!
The next time you’re under pressure on a school assignment or project, have a piece of chocolate because doing so can increase blood flow to key parts of the brain for multiple hours.
More blood flow means both your alertness and performance can also improve in the short term—translation: chocolate can actually make you smarter!
Have you ever noticed that when you get overwhelmed or anxious, you search for some chocolate? That’s because chocolate is known as peoples’ go-to when times get tough.
The reason: chocolate helps reduce stress-related hormone levels (such as cortisol) that can otherwise be harmful to your body. I can personally testify that there’s no shame in having an emergency chocolate stash for moments like these.
It’s no secret that chocolate almost always makes us feel better, and there’s a reason why. When we enjoy the food we’re eating, we’re also enjoying life. If you try to think of all the times when eating chocolate made you feel better, you may run out of fingers to count on.
So go on and unwrap that piece of chocolate because you’re really unwrapping a piece of happiness… yes please!
