Quote:
Originally posted by sadatx
I've never heard that, but it's intriguing. What's the thinking behind that? Something in the cocoa that's good for you?
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Yeah -- bioflavinoids that work as antioxidants to lower bad cholesterol, among other things. Also, the main fat in chocolate -- stearic acid -- does not in itself cause cholesterol to rise in human beings. And there are apparently other beneficial chemicals as well. Here are a couple of links:
http://www.chocolateandcocoa.org/Hea...tioxidants.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0118075002.htm
http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/sc/...chocheart.html
http://www.chocolate.org/health/dark-chocolate.html
http://www.candyusa.org/Chocolate/goodnews.shtml
The thing about chocolate is that not all chocolate products have a lot of bioflavinoids in them. And you're probably best off with a premium dark chocolate bar that's 70 or 80 percent chocolate, no milk, and very little sugar. That's what I eat, and it's an acquired taste.
I know that there's a great suspicion about eating fat out there, especially if you're trying to get ripped. And I can't answer to that, and most of us aren't trying for that anyway. But I do know that eating foods rich in "good fats," especially omega-3 fatty acids, is good for the heart and do not in themselves lead to especial weight gain in moderation. I eat at least one avocado a day, cook eggs in light olive oil, and eat at least an ounce of dark chocolate a day. Over the last few months I've had to drastically cut back my cardio because of time constraints. I'm really not eating much less, and I haven't gained a single pound. And I'm 48.