So, since I tempted you yesterday with all the talk and pictures of chocolate, I thought I'd better find some good information about the health benefits of chocolate (and, I'm just craving chocolate again - go figure!)
Here is part of an article found on ClevelandClinic.org:
"Flavonoids help protect plants by shielding them from environmental toxins and helping repair damage. When we consume plant-based foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also benefit from this “antioxidant” power. Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing and from environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke. When the body lacks adequate levels of antioxidants, damage from free radicals occurs and leads to increases in LDL (“bad)-cholesterol oxidation (oxidized LDL-cholesterol hurts the arteries) and plaque formation on the walls of the arteries.
Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocoa and chocolate. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research indicates that flavanols have other positive influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to the brain and heart, making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot, and lowering cholesterol."
If you'd like to read the rest of the article, just CLICK HERE and you'll be directed to the article. It's very interesting.
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