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When it comes to guilty pleasures, chocolate tends to be pretty high on the list – but it needn't be! Behold: six reasons that indulging in moderate amounts of cocoa-based treats can actually benefit your health. One thing to keep mind - all of these studies found that the darker the chocolate, the better. Tasty!
1. CHOCOLATE REDUCES STRESS
THE SCIENCE: Chocolate contains valeric acid, which works as a relaxant and tranquilizer.
TASTY TIDBIT: The sugar in chocolate might play a role, too – sweet tastes have been found to activate opiate-like substances in the human brain.
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2. CHOCOLATE PROTECTS YOUR SKIN
THE SCIENCE: A study carried out by German scientists found that flavonoids in dark chocolate protect your skin from UV rays.
TASTY TIDBIT: The tasty stuff was also found to reduce skin roughness and scaling.
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3. CHOCOLATE KEEPS OLDER BRAINS SHARP
THE SCIENCE: Getting in a daily dose of chocolate can improve thinking abilities in people with mild cognitive impairment, according to a recent geriatric study.
TASTY TIDBIT: If you want to mix it up, the flavonoids responsible for this effect are also found in red wine, grapes, apples and tea.
4. CHOCOLATE IS HEART-HEALTHY (ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN)
THE SCIENCE: A study out of Harvard Medical School from 2009 found that women who ate one or two ounces of chocolate a week had a 32 percent lower risk of heart failure than women who ate none.
TASTY TIDBIT: The same study found that the key flavonoids in cocoa - catechins and epicatechins - have antioxidant effects—such as helping to lower cholesterol.
5. CHOCOLATE MAKES YOU LIVE LONGER
THE SCIENCE: The antioxidants in chocolate increase life expectancy by an average of one year, according to research based on Harvard graduates.
TASTY TIDBIT: Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment lived to the age of 122 - the longest confirmed human life span in history. And guess what she used to eat two pounds of every week? Yep, chocolate.
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6. CHOCOLATE FILLS YOU UP
THE SCIENCE: Both cocoa powder and dark chocolate are rich in dietary fiber (33g for every 100g), which means it actually keeps you full for longer.
TASTY TIDBIT: Dark chocolate not only keeps you full – it may also reduce cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods, according to a University of Copenhagen study.
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