Do you feel guilty for eating too much chocolate, such as during the Christmas or Easter holidays? Don’t worry about it! Sure, your figure might have been affected, but that can be remedied. What matters is that you haven’t harmed your health at all. In fact! Data shows that chocolate may be the cure for all ills. For several years now, studies around the world have demonstrated the beneficial effects of chocolate (dark especially), on the heart and nervous system, even recognizing its anti-cancer and antidepressant properties.
Optimism, Humor, and Well-Being
As for lifestyle advice regarding relationships, the authors recommend having a strong sense of humor. People who tend to be melancholic benefit from surrounding themselves with “positive” individuals. These individuals should spend time with optimistic, cheerful people who share their interests. Conversely, sad and depressed individuals are not helpful. Studying with classmates or with the help of parents also helps keep the mind young (and this applies even from a young age!), but most importantly, having a satisfying sex life is crucial. In fact, the six stages of sexual activity (from desire to conclusion) circulate the same elements involved in thought production. This is why good sex and good chocolate would guarantee eternal youth for our minds.
Benefits of chocolate
Chocolate contains substances like alkaloids and caffeine, which have a stimulating effect on the nervous system, and it is also very rich in flavonoids, compounds found in red wine that have antioxidant properties and benefit the heart. But you might already know this. Did you know that chocolate, thanks to its caffeine and theobromine content, helps prevent cancer? This is the result of a study conducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University College London, which also confirmed its usefulness in the onset of heart diseases.
The antidepressant effect of chocolate
Equally well-known is the antidepressant effect of chocolate, attributed, as some American researchers have shown, to its sugar and carbohydrate content, which stimulates the production of endorphins, the so-called pleasure hormones, leading to the pleasant feeling derived from eating even just a small piece. But it doesn’t end there: perhaps during these days of feasting, you have felt a strange sense of satiety that has prevented you from consuming an excessive amount of Easter lamb, again thanks to chocolate, which, according to American dietitian Brett Hall, acts as an appetite inhibitor and can be included in low-calorie diets without risks.
Let’s Overcome Our Guilt
If guilt still haunts you for indulging in chocolate, and if we haven’t yet convinced you enough about the therapeutic and cosmetic properties of chocolate, here’s one more reason to feel at ease. In fact, chocolate is not just a promise of momentary joy and fleeting enjoyment. As Marcel Proust seems to authoritatively suggest by citing his beloved “fleeting and light” hot chocolate. It is now widely proven that chocolate, in scientific terms, also means energy and health. Just think of the traditional belief that chocolate “ruins teeth”.
Well, Boston researchers from the legendary MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have discovered that cocoa actually produces a powerful cavity inhibitor! Moreover, according to research conducted by a team from Osaka University in Japan, published in the journal ‘New Scientist’, cocoa helps prevent and combat cavities more than any toothpaste available.
The surprising thesis is based on the discovery that the antibacterial agents found in cocoa prevail over the sugars in any chocolate confection. Thereby its reduce the risk of cavities. These agents, the scientists explain, are mainly found in the skins of cocoa beans, which are typically discarded during chocolate production. It’s a shame because if added to mouthwashes and toothpastes, it would enhance their effectiveness. Do you still feel guilty? We’ll think about the diet tomorrow.
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Sex and chocolat are good for the brain
