To all the chocolate lovers out there, did you know that consumption of chocolate can be beneficial for your health too? Well, Dark chocolate i.e chocolate containing cocoa solids and cocoa butter sans the milk and butter generally found in milk chocolate has been scientifically proven to provide potential health benefits to humans.

Listed below are 5 benefits of dark Chocolates:

1) Good for skin

The cocoa in dark chocolate contains flavonoids which helps our body to function more effectively. It fights off toxins and stressers and acts as a natural source of anti oxidant that helps in slowing down the ageing process in humans!

2)It is good for heart

Some of the compounds in dark chocolate especially flavanols helps in fighting off high blood pressure and high cholestrol which are the two major risk factors in heart disease. Henceforth, regukar consumption if dark chocolate may lessen the likelihood of a person developing heart diseases.

3) Improves brain function

According to researchers, dark chocolate may improve brain functions and prevent neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. According to a small study held in 2018, reasearchers suggested that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may improve neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli.

4) Improves blood sugar levels

Regular consumption of dark chocolate has been found to be helpful in metabolisation of glucose. A study in 2017 in the journal Appetite showed that participants who rarely consumed dark chocolate had higher risks of developing diabetes five years down the road when compared to participants who consume dark chocolate at least once per week.

5) May help with weight loss

Researchers suggest that dark chocolate may play a role in controlling appetite which in turn could help with weight loss. In the books Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight written by neuroscientist Will Clower suggests how eating a bit of dark chocolate before or after meals triggers hormones that signal to the brain you are full. However, proper diet chart and regular exercising should be done to help in successful weight loss.