Benefits of eating... chocolate!

In my opinion there are few things that you can eat that will bring as much joy as chocolate can. It's ranging sweetness and decadence ranges in flavors and forms. However, I am not just here to rave about Hershey's. I want to discuss the fact that eating chocolate the right way can actually have healthy benefits!

Vitamins

Cocoa beans (where chocolate comes from) happen to contain a heaping amount of vitamins and minerals! To start there are vitamins A and E, which restore damaged cells and protect your heart. Then all the B vitamins which are crucial to keep our bodies functioning properly. Not to mention calcium, iron and potassium are in our favorite sweet as well. All these vitamins can be found in chocolates most natural state, unfortunately they won't be found in our favorite candy bars... sorry Snickers.

Antioxidants

Cocoa is also stocked with a number of powerful antioxidants that help to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation. However, these antioxidants that can do wonders for people are the exact reason why our pets are not allowed to eat dark chocolate.

Cognitive functions

I bet you never thought of chocolate as a brain food! Well it is, and that's the perfect way to justify that "one more piece of chocolate cake" to your mom. Studies have proven that it helps improve memory and boost your focus.

Some of this may come as a surprise to some of us, but we do need to remember that even though there can be benefits from enjoying small doses of chocolatey goodness, it is still very high in fat and calories. So eating a couple chocolate bars a day can lead to some weight can, but a small piece every now and then, can do more good than expected. It is best to eat it in it's most organic and unprocessed state (like all other foods). Therefore, dark chocolates that are 60-100 percent pure cocoa are your best bet for the most nutrients.