Eat that!
Chocolates have always been a solace at testing times, a celebratory food item at happy times and have also been held guilty for being the cause of weight gain. But recent research has acquitted chocolates of all the charges. Like everything else even chocolates in moderation is actually good for us and studies also suggest that they may help prevent heart disease, cancer and other degenerative illnesses.
Contrary to popular belief chocolates neither cause acne nor do they trigger off migraine attacks. One of the possible ways of gaining excess weight is regular consumption of energy dense foods like chocolates. Having said that, it would be wrong to assume that regularly eating chocolates would lead to obesity, excess eating in general is responsible.
Rather this luxury food has some attributes to it which needs special mentioning. It generally contains:
- Vitamin E which is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for the integrity of cell membranes.
- Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium minerals that is essential for strong bones and teeth.
- Protein - needed for cell maintenance and repair.
- Iron - needed to form haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying compound in blood.
- Copper assists iron metabolism, formation of melanin (in hair and skin), and in the functioning of the central nervous system.
- Caffeine - a nervous system stimulant.
- Fat - mainly saturated fats, up to 50 per cent.
Antioxidants are substances found in some foods like tea, fruits, etc and are thought to protect the body against degenerative illnesses like heart disease and cancer. The antioxidant content of chocolate is considerably higher than tea. Chocolate, in particular dark chocolate is a good source of catechins (an antioxidant) and may help check the oxidation of blood cholesterol and diminish the tendency for blood clotting.
The next time you hold chocolates responsible for your sudden gain in weight, think again! It sure has given the phrase ‘Eat that’ a whole new meaning!