Most of us would think of chocolate as the first thing to pop in our heads when something sweet is mentioned. Every bite of this sweet treat is definitely heavenly and beneficial for your health! Chocolate is made from the beans of the cacao plant (Theobroma cacao), which is native to Central America and South America.

The cacao plant’s scientific name “Theobroma” means food for the gods, and various civilizations have revered its godly origins. According to the Aztecs of Mexico, cacao was a gift from the plumed serpent god of wisdom Quetzalcoatl. As such, the Aztec culture used cacao beans in sacred rituals because of their purported magical properties. They consumed chocolate by turning cacao beans into a bitter drink heated over fire or fermenting the beans into alcohol.

Chocolate gained more prominence in the West following Christopher Columbus’ return from the New World. The increased demand led to the establishment of cacao plantations in West Africa and Mesoamerica. The so-called “Dutch process” introduced in the 19th century played a key role in making chocolate easy to mass-produce. In the early 20th century, the efforts of some American businessmen helped make chocolate a common product on grocery shelves. Americans nowadays consume about $18 billion worth of chocolate yearly – with each person eating an average of almost 10 pounds.

It cannot be disputed that chocolate definitely tastes good, but how can eating chocolate improve your overall health?

Chocolate contains a lot of antioxidants

You are sure to reap the benefits of chocolate however you choose to consume it – either by drinking cocoa or eating a chocolate bar. This is because chocolate is rich in antioxidants that fight the damage caused by free radicals. Chocolate in particular is rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant present in foods from plants such as red wine and green tea.

The polyphenols in chocolate play a role in preventing heart disease by inhibiting the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). LDL is considered the bad type of cholesterol: It can cause heart attack or stroke when it oxidizes because of its tendency to stick to the walls of blood vessels. Furthermore, American researchers found that eating significant amounts of chocolate exhibit the same antioxidant properties on the cardiovascular system as drinking red wine.

Chocolate contributes to improved cardiovascular health

The antioxidants found in chocolate do wonders for your cardiovascular system. One such effect of eating chocolate is that it makes the blood thinner and reduces the likelihood of clotting. A study done back in 2000 found that chocolate exhibited the same anti-clotting properties as the common drug aspirin.

Further research has shed light on chocolate’s positive impact on cardiovascular health. According to a 2003 study, dark chocolate – with its higher polyphenol content – may lower blood pressure in people with mild hypertension. A separate study in Sweden looked at the effect of dark chocolate consumption on 1,000 heart attack survivors. The results of the 2009 Swedish study found that patients who are dark chocolate several times a week were thrice less likely to die from heart disease compared to those who abstained.

Chocolate positively affects your mood

Chocolate’s antioxidants are of great benefit to the body, but its other substances also contribute to a better mood. Chocolate is rich in a substance called theobromine, which is closely related to caffeine in coffee. The substance gently stimulates the central nervous system – which contributes to the euphoric feeling associated with eating chocolate.

Aside from theobromine, chocolate also has two other compounds that help uplift your feelings. Phenethylamine is a compound that facilitates the release of other neurochemicals associated with pleasure. It is commonly released in the bran when people fall in love. Meanwhile, anandamide is a neurochemical that produces feelings of elation and exhilaration. Pharmacologists have isolated this substance naturally produced by the brain from chocolate.

Ethically-produced chocolate is definitely a sweet deal for everyone

While most of us associate chocolate with sweetness and health, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of people in West Africa. Most of the world’s chocolate comes from countries in this region, such as the Ivory Coast. But cacao farmers in the Ivory Coast are paid a measly $0.70 daily wage – just almost 30 percent of the country’s $2 living wage.

Aside from the low-income cacao farmers face, child labor plays a huge part in the production of chocolate. The U.S. government reported in 2015 that more than two million children are involved in cacao farming in West Africa. These children work long hours clearing out forests for growing cacao and handling dangerous pesticides. Worse, these child workers are threatened by death or starvation if they try to escape their predicament.

The extreme conditions in which West African cacao farmers and child workers exist are a stark contrast to the huge profits raked in by chocolate manufacturers.

Fortunately, consumers can do their small part in ensuring that the chocolate they buy is free from brutality. You should look for chocolate brands that are fair-trade certified. Buying chocolate brands that are fair-trade certified means that they pay cacao farmers decently – with a third-party firm attesting to it.

Organic certified chocolate is also a fantastic option. These chocolates are made from cacao plants grown in Central America and South America. Cacao farms in this region are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Workers in these farms are also treated better and work in less exploitative conditions.

Truly good chocolate is not just delicious and packed with health benefits – it should also be produced in a manner that benefits others.

Check out Chocolate.news to find out more benefits of snacking on this sweet treat.

Sources:

FoodRevolution.org

POJ.Peeters-Leuven.be

Academic.OUP.com

JAMANetwork.com

OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com

SacredChocolate.com