The Advantages Of Eating Chocolate

Believe it or not, there are actually advantages of eating chocolate (YES!). Great news for me as I am the biggest chocolate lover.

Obviously if you eat lots and lots of it, it’s not going to be good for you. After all, it is still very high in calories. The best stuff for you is anything over 70% dark chocolate, but I still think it’s OK to indulge in your favourite chocolate from time to time!

OK so here are the awesome benefits of eating chocolate:

It’s Full Of Antioxidants

I never knew what antioxidants actually were until I started studying nutrition so I’m going to assume lots of other people don’t either. To be put very simply, certain things such as excess sun, pollution, cigarettes, etc cause free radicals to form in your body. Free radicals damage your body, cause aging (can also cause cancer) and in turn shorten your lifespan. Antioxidants help to neutralize the free radicals!

Antioxidants from fruit and vegetables are also awesome, but chocolate has a super high concentration of antioxidants. How great is that :)

It Has Lots Of Nutrients

The good quality dark chocolate has lots of nutrients, including fiber, iron, zinc, potassium and other minerals. It does also include caffeine and lots of calories, so that’s why it is still best eaten in moderation.

Lowers Cholesterol

Dark chocolate has been shown to protect against the oxidation of LDL (the bad type of cholesterol – HDL is the good type). This means that there is less cholesterol to block up your arteries and it will in turn lower your risk of heart disease and stroke!

Improves Brain Function

A study has shown that it may improve brain function in elderly people and also prevent memory decline. This could play an important role in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Sounds good to me.

You’re More Likely To Stick To Healthy Eating

OK I’m speaking from experience here. But when I completely cut chocolate / junk food out of my diet, I seem to want it and I crave it more. But eating small amounts of chocolate regularly actually help me to stay sane and stick to a healthy and balanced diet. It means nothing is ever off limits.

I am a huge believer of having a balanced diet and allowing yourself treats, because it helps you to keep a healthy relationship with food and not feel deprived. Food is meant to be enjoyed! That’s why I have treats in all of my nutrition programs – I don’t ever want you to feel deprived. To find out more about my nutrition plans, click here xx