Chocolate can be healthy!
You might have heard that chocolate is bad for you because it contains a whole lot of fat and sugar, but some things about it are healthy!
It is true that chocolate has a few ingredients which are bad for you, but it has one ingredient which has loads of health benefits; Cocoa!
It has been shown that eating small amounts of dark chocolate each week are good in these ways:
1: Chocolate reduces the risk of cancer!
Cocoa is stuffed with antioxidants, which help fight cancers and other nasties to keep you healthy!
2: Chocolate can actually reduce the risk of tooth decay!
Cocoa has antibacterial qualities. It’s bacteria feeding on sugars in your mouth which cause tooth decay, so eating dark chocolate (which has less sugar than other kinds of chocolate) can actually be good for your teeth and dental hygiene! … Don’t think that means you don’t have to brush your teeth, though.
3: Chocolate makes you smarter and happier!
Eating chocolate releases endorphins in the brain. Endorphins occur naturally in the brain, and make you feel happy!
And as for chocolate making you smarter? Well, a study done in 2009 showed that students who ate cocoa found maths and counting easier than those who didn’t.
Among other things, chocolate can also lower your blood pressure, make you feel less tired and help to stop you coughing.
Just remember, though - the darker the better! Dark chocolates contain more cocoa and less fat and sugar than milk or white chocolates. In fact, white chocolate contains no cocoa at all, so it’s unhealthy junk food! The same goes for chocolates with sugary things added to them, like caramels, marshmallows or biscuits.
The most healthy chocolates are plain dark chocolates, or dark chocolates with nuts or fruit.
Now that’s a fact you can take to the grocery store!