本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I love chocolate. During my childhood, chocolate was a luxury. At that time, it was considered something you could have maybe just once every month or even longer. For some kids, they might never have had a chance to taste it in their life. In terms of price, when an ordinary candy cost 0.1 yuan in China, a small bar of chocolate cost 0.25 yuan, which was pretty expensive to ordinary families. My family was doing pretty well, so I got to have it from time to time but not too frequently either. There had to be certain circumstances that my parents would buy chocolate for me and my sister. These circumstances include being sick, doing extremely well at school or having done a superb job of housework, etc. I have one unforgettable experience with chocolate when I was about 8 years. I remember I was sick at the time and had been lying in bed all day without going to school. When Dad came home, he was very concerned about me. To show his love and care, he went out and bought two bars of chocolate, one big one which cost 0.98 yuan, considered the most expensive at that time and one small bar. He gave the small bar to my sister and passed the big one to me secretly. To hide it from my sister, I quickly put it in the pocket of my pants and pretended to be innocent when my sister showed off her chocolate to me. Later, when I wanted to eat mine, as I reached my pocket, I found nothing but an empty package of the chocolate. Without thinking, I knew what happened. I burst into tears immediately. What a stupid mistake I have made! Since I was having a fever, the chocolate melted against my warm body temperature! Could you imagine how bad I felt? Yes, chocolate was such a luxury during our childhood at the time China was still a very poor country. I still remember that one of the topics of our kids talk was how we were going to buy as much chocolate and as frequently as possible when we grow up and make money.
Now our dream has come true. We could have as much chocolate as we have and as frequently. In addition to that, we became picky about the chocolate we ate. We have a preference to a special type of chocolate. Personally, I like chocolate with nuts in it. Not just that, we also tend to have a preferred brand of chocolate. The Belgian Godiva chocolate is very popular in North America. I like it too. Recently, I passed by one shop but noted that they were giving out free chocolate. I took one and immediately it provoked my cravings for it and I decided to buy more. Fortunately, they are having a “scratch and save’ promotion and I got the deal for “buy 1 get 1 free”! I love chocolate but I am very careful not to eat too much as it contains lots of sugar and fat too. I have to watch my weight.
Today, I was surfing the web and came across this article which listed 7 reasons to eat chocolate. I would love to share it with you here.
7 reasons why chocolate is healthy
1. It’s loaded with antioxidants
Dark chocolate contains hefty amounts of disease-fighting flavenoids, antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food.
2. It helps you through PMS
“There’s a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it’s high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention. But overindulging in sugar, salt and caffeine can backfire, causing bloating and fluid retention (not to mention weight gain).
3. It may lower cholesterol
A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that daily consumption of cocoa flavanol-containing dark chocolate lowered cholesterol and improved blood pressure.
While the research was funded by chocolate manufacturer Mars, Inc., the study was double-blinded and peer reviewed.
4. It may prevent pregnancy complications
A new study reports that a chemical (theobromine) found in chocolate may reduce preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication. The darker the chocolate, the better.
Preeclampsia is primarily noted for raising blood pressure in pregnant women, and eating chocolate helps to lower this risk by up to 69 percent. The study of nearly 2,300 women established greater benefits to those who ate five or more servings per week, especially in their third trimester.
Despite the results from this study, researchers have said that further studies are needed to prove the direct link between chocolate and preeclampsia.
5. It helps prevent heart disease
A recent study shows that people who regularly consume 70% dark chocolate (about 20 g per day) show a marked improvement in blood flow, while no improvement is observed in those who eat “processed” chocolate, which contains very little cocoa paste. It seems that the positive effect of dark chocolate is linked to a property in its polyphenols that releases a chemical messenger, nitric oxide, which increases arterial dilatation, at the same time improving blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.
However, it is important to note that previous studies have shown that milk prevents the absorption of dark chocolate’s polyphenols, thereby neutralizing its beneficial effects. Milk contains large amounts of casein, a protein that interacts with polyphenols and prevents them from being efficiently absorbed by the intestine. It is therefore always preferable to consume dark chocolate unaccompanied by milk.
6. It may improve your skin
Researchers at Germany’s Heinrich Heine University exposed chocolate eaters to ultraviolet light and found that after six weeks, they had 15 percent less skin reddening than those who didn’t eat it. “We believe the compounds in chocolate act as UV filters,” says study leader Wilhelm Stahl. After 12 weeks, the chocolate eaters’ skin was 16 percent denser and 42 percent less scaly. Concerned about it causing acne? Researchers at Australia’s University of Newcastle reviewed the evidence and found nothing to suggest that chocolate triggers blemishes.
7. It may reduce pain
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that rats don’t respond as quickly to pain while they’re eating chocolate. While this might explain why nothing in the world could drag you away from your Hershy’s Kisses, the study’s researchers say this pain-killing effect could be detrimental to humans as it could contribute to obesity. So remember to enjoy chocolate’s soothing properties in moderation. Also interesting to note: The study also found that drinking water also reduced pain.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
Now our dream has come true. We could have as much chocolate as we have and as frequently. In addition to that, we became picky about the chocolate we ate. We have a preference to a special type of chocolate. Personally, I like chocolate with nuts in it. Not just that, we also tend to have a preferred brand of chocolate. The Belgian Godiva chocolate is very popular in North America. I like it too. Recently, I passed by one shop but noted that they were giving out free chocolate. I took one and immediately it provoked my cravings for it and I decided to buy more. Fortunately, they are having a “scratch and save’ promotion and I got the deal for “buy 1 get 1 free”! I love chocolate but I am very careful not to eat too much as it contains lots of sugar and fat too. I have to watch my weight.
Today, I was surfing the web and came across this article which listed 7 reasons to eat chocolate. I would love to share it with you here.
7 reasons why chocolate is healthy
1. It’s loaded with antioxidants
Dark chocolate contains hefty amounts of disease-fighting flavenoids, antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food.
2. It helps you through PMS
“There’s a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it’s high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention. But overindulging in sugar, salt and caffeine can backfire, causing bloating and fluid retention (not to mention weight gain).
3. It may lower cholesterol
A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that daily consumption of cocoa flavanol-containing dark chocolate lowered cholesterol and improved blood pressure.
While the research was funded by chocolate manufacturer Mars, Inc., the study was double-blinded and peer reviewed.
4. It may prevent pregnancy complications
A new study reports that a chemical (theobromine) found in chocolate may reduce preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication. The darker the chocolate, the better.
Preeclampsia is primarily noted for raising blood pressure in pregnant women, and eating chocolate helps to lower this risk by up to 69 percent. The study of nearly 2,300 women established greater benefits to those who ate five or more servings per week, especially in their third trimester.
Despite the results from this study, researchers have said that further studies are needed to prove the direct link between chocolate and preeclampsia.
5. It helps prevent heart disease
A recent study shows that people who regularly consume 70% dark chocolate (about 20 g per day) show a marked improvement in blood flow, while no improvement is observed in those who eat “processed” chocolate, which contains very little cocoa paste. It seems that the positive effect of dark chocolate is linked to a property in its polyphenols that releases a chemical messenger, nitric oxide, which increases arterial dilatation, at the same time improving blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.
However, it is important to note that previous studies have shown that milk prevents the absorption of dark chocolate’s polyphenols, thereby neutralizing its beneficial effects. Milk contains large amounts of casein, a protein that interacts with polyphenols and prevents them from being efficiently absorbed by the intestine. It is therefore always preferable to consume dark chocolate unaccompanied by milk.
6. It may improve your skin
Researchers at Germany’s Heinrich Heine University exposed chocolate eaters to ultraviolet light and found that after six weeks, they had 15 percent less skin reddening than those who didn’t eat it. “We believe the compounds in chocolate act as UV filters,” says study leader Wilhelm Stahl. After 12 weeks, the chocolate eaters’ skin was 16 percent denser and 42 percent less scaly. Concerned about it causing acne? Researchers at Australia’s University of Newcastle reviewed the evidence and found nothing to suggest that chocolate triggers blemishes.
7. It may reduce pain
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that rats don’t respond as quickly to pain while they’re eating chocolate. While this might explain why nothing in the world could drag you away from your Hershy’s Kisses, the study’s researchers say this pain-killing effect could be detrimental to humans as it could contribute to obesity. So remember to enjoy chocolate’s soothing properties in moderation. Also interesting to note: The study also found that drinking water also reduced pain.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net