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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