Does Dark Chocolate Reduce Risk of Depression ?
Overall, depression is a big problem. Currently, talking therapies and medications are the most common treatments. As the authors explain, talking therapies are often oversubscribed, so doctors prescribe most antidepressants.
However, these drugs do not work for everyone. In addition, according to the authors of this study, about half of those who receive a prescription for these medications stop taking them within 6 weeks of starting treatment.
Physical activity seems to benefit some people with depression, but it does not help everyone and not everyone is physically fit to exercise.
In the same vein, the authors of the latest study explain that "the food product commonly consumed and supposed to have mood-enhancing properties is chocolate".
However, over the years, only a few studies have investigated whether chocolate can really improve mood in a clinically relevant way, and these experiments have yielded mixed results.
Have you ever seen a chocolate in a convenience store with a cacao content of 70% cacao or 95% cacao? High cacao chocolate with a cacao content of over 70% is called high cacao chocolate and has recently been released by various companies. This time, I would like to introduce the health benefits and effective timing of high cacao chocolate.
The health benefits of high cacao chocolate have been proven in large-scale studies.
This time, we will focus on high cacao chocolate, which is attracting attention for its various health benefits.
I often see it at convenience stores in recent years, but the package says "I thought about beauty and health" or "Plenty of dietary fiber", so there are not many people who are picking up something that seems to be good for the body.
In a study on high cacao chocolate, mainly conducted by Meiji Co., Ltd., famous for chocolate, the results of research that high cacao chocolate had a positive effect on the body were published as a paper.
The newest addition to the chocolate research corpus comes from University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom. The UCL team collaborated with scientists from the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services Canada.
The title of UCL's press release is "People who eat dark chocolate are less likely to be depressed"
I would like to briefly summarize the health benefits found from the research results.By the way, in this study, we consumed 25g of chocolate with a cocoa content of 72% every day for 4 weeks.
See also https://sprkofhealth.blogspot.com/2019/07/significance-of-dietary-calcium-and.html
- Low Blood Pressure
There was an ideal change in that the amount of blood pressure drop in people with high blood pressure was large, while the amount of blood pressure drop in people with normal blood pressure was small. It can be said that it has the effect of lowering blood pressure and returning to normal values.
- Has the Effect of Expanding Blood Vessels
Cocoa polyphenols contained in cocoa are absorbed in the small intestine and enter the blood vessels. If there is inflammation inside the blood vessels, the inflammation narrows the blood vessels. Cocoa polyphenols have the effect of reducing inflammation, and as a result, the effect of widening blood vessels can be expected.
- Increased Good Cholesterol
It is called good cholesterol, and "HDL cholesterol" that works to recover excess cholesterol in the body and return it to the liver has increased. If the balance between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol becomes worse, blood vessels are more likely to become clogged, but cocoa polyphenols can provide a good balance of cholesterol and keep blood vessels healthy.
- Reduced Risk of Arteriosclerosis
It is said that arteriosclerosis is promoted by the increase in inflammation and oxidative stress of blood vessels. Continuing intake of cocoa polyphenols has been shown to reduce vascular inflammation and oxidative stress.・ Be Active Mentally and Physically
From the health survey questionnaire of the people who participated in the empirical research, it was found that there were the following mental and physical effects.Overall Health: The health is very good.
Vitality: I was always full of vitality.
Spirit: Calm, fun and gentle
- Effective in Preventing Depression and Alzheimer Type Dementia
Depressed Lady
BDNF, a very important nutrient for increasing brain cells, decreases with age. |
| Depressed Lady |
It was confirmed that the BDNF was increased by cacao polyphenol.
In recent years, BDNF is said to be related to Alzheimer type dementia and cognitive functions such as memory and learning.
Also, although it is a high cacao chocolate, it is still a chocolate, so I think some people are worried about getting fat.
However, in this study, there was no increase in numbers such as weight and body mass index (BMI) that lead to metabolic syndrome.
Let's Start Healthy Habits with Proper Intake
The effect of cocoa polyphenols is not durable, so to eat more effectively, we recommend eating 5g at a time in 5 divided doses per day.
What is the best time to eat?
Basically, you can always take it frequently.Cocoa polyphenols have the effect of suppressing hunger, so if you eat them before eating, your appetite will drop and you can suppress overeating.
Also, around 3:00 pm is generally the highest time of the day in the day, so it can be said that it is difficult to accumulate fat even if you take carbohydrates and lipids contained in high cacao chocolate.
3 high cacao chocolates you want to eat!
You can buy them at convenience stores and supermarkets , but they are so delicious that they are not inferior to those of high-end chocolate brands.
Summary
I knew the health benefits of high cacao chocolate and found out why it was so popular.
High cacao chocolate, of course, contains saccharides and lipids, so you can't eat too much.
When I first ate, I honestly thought that 70% cacao was bitter, but now that bitterness is a bit tricky and I often eat 85% cacao.
Enjoy the rich aroma and taste of high cacao chocolate that can be delicious and healthy.
I hope you would enjoyed that article Does Dark Chocolate Reduce Risk of Depression ?
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