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Chocolate for Heart Health

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Foods containing Flavonols render significant health benefits.

If you desire a tasty weapon against heart attack, stroke, dementia, hypertension, diabetes and a barrage of circulatory diseases, then dark chocolate may one of your best Health Defenders.

Further research on dark chocolate points to big health benefits, particularly in warding off vascular disease.

Dark Chocolate Heart Healthy

Keep in mind that just any chocolate won't deliver significant health benefits.  The bittersweet tasting dark chocolate is the star of the Chocolate Health Band Wagon, and oh my, what a healthy tune this dude is plunking out.

What differentiates dark chocolate from other chocolates?  

Dark chocolate not only tastes rich, it's rich in a substance that promotes healthy blood vessels within the body. These substances have been identified as flavonols and flavonols have been connected with successfully combating vascular disease.

Food List Rich in Flavonols

Green Tea, Black Tea, Red Wine, Dark Chocolate, Red Delicious Apple with Peeling, Blackberry, Apricots, Red Raspberries, Plums, Blueberries, Red Grapes with Peeling, Onions, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli - and other green vegetables. The greener, the better when it comes to a healthy dose of Flavonol.

Dieting Tip: Chocolate Solutions & Suggestions for Dieters

Chocolate soothes the Savage Diet Beast - but it can also ravage a diet plan if carefully held in check. Here are just a few suggestions that might be a help while dieting:

* Enjoy a Hershey's Kiss or purchase a bag of mini-chocolate chips. Enjoy only a few at one sitting and allow each to melt in your mouth.

* Look for DARK chocolate - which yields some health benefits.

* Carnation has a Diet Cocoa that contains a skinny 25 calories per cup - so little that you can even add a few mini-marshmallows. Preparing in advance assures weight loss success!

 

Dark Chocolate Nutritional Facts Based on Values per 100 Grams

Dark Chocolate Nutrients Units 45% - 59% Cacao Solids 60% - 69% Cacao Solids 70% - 85% Cacao Solids
Calories, Energy
kcal
546
579
598
Protein
g
4.88
6.12
7.79
Total lipid (fat)
g
31.28
38.31
42.63
Ash
g
1.70
1.90
2.32
Carbohydrate, by difference
g
61.17
52.42
45.90
Fiber, total dietary
g
7.0
8.0
10.9
Sugars, total
g
47.90
36.71
23.99
Sucrose
g
46.25
36.39
23.99
Glucose (dextrose)
g
0.00
0.00
0.00
Fructose
g
0.00
0.00
0.00
Lactose
g
1.65
0.31
0.00
Maltose
g
0.00
0.00
0.00
Galactose
g
0.00
0.00
0.00
Calcium, Ca
mg
56
62
73
Iron, Fe
mg
8.02
6.32
11.90
Magnesium, Mg
mg
146
176
228
Phosphorus, P
mg
206
260
308
Potassium, K
mg
559
567
715
Sodium, Na
mg
24
10
20
Zinc, Zn
mg
2.01
2.65
3.31
Copper, Cu
mg
1.028
1.248
1.766
Manganese, Mn
mg
1.419
1.325
1.948
Selenium, Se
mcg
3.0
8.4
6.8
Thiamin
mg
0.025
0.032
0.034
Riboflavin
mg
0.050
0.049
0.078
Niacin
mg
0.725
0.838
1.054
Pantothenic acid
mg
0.297
0.300
0.418
Vitamin B-6
mg
0.042
0.034
0.038
Vitamin B-12
mcg
0.23
0.18
0.28
Vitamin A, RAE
mcg_RAE
2
3
2
Carotene, beta
mcg
26
25
19
Carotene, alpha
mcg
7
9
7
Cryptoxanthin, beta
mcg
1
1
1
Vitamin A, IU
IU
50
50
39
Lycopene
mcg
0
0
0
Lutein + zeaxanthin
mcg
31
32
27
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
mg
0.54
0.59
0.59
Tocopherol, beta
mg
0.00
0.00
0.01
Tocopherol, gamma
mg
6.37
8.47
9.19
Tocopherol, delta
mg
0.34
0.34
0.29
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
mcg
8.1
7.2
7.3
Dihydrophylloquinone
mcg
0.0
0.0
0.0
Menaquinone-4
mcg
0.1
0.0
0.0
Saturated Fats, Total
g
18.519
22.031
24.489
Monounsaturated Fats, Total
g
9.540
11.522
12.781
Polyunsaturated Fats, Total
g
1.092
1.221
1.257
Total Trans Fast
g
0.112
0.079
0.030
Total trans-monoenoic Fats
g
0.088
0.061
0.025
Total trans-polyenoic Fats
g
0.024
0.017
0.005
Cholesterol
mg
8
6
3
Stigmasterol
mg
25
29
31
Campesterol
mg
11
12
12
Beta-sitosterol
mg
66
75
86
Caffeine
mg
43
86
80
Theobromine
mg
493
632
802

 

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