Many people love chocolates but they think that they are fattening and harmful to their health. This is not always true. Recent research has revealed that there are chocolates that are actually beneficial to health. The difference comes in the ingredients used and the processes followed. When it comes to chocolate and digestion, various factors need to be considered.
Darker chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa has the most health benefits. Cocoa beans are grown in countries like Ghana with an equatorial climate, meaning regular rainfall and humid conditions. In order for ingredients to be certified as organic they have to comply with various regulations such as no use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Manufacturers are increasingly opting for use of organic ingredients for their health benefits.
Cocoa beans contain polyphenols with antioxidant properties. These antioxidant flavonoids reduce the risk of blood clotting and this helps prevent heart attacks and strokes. Cocoa can increase the serotonin level in the brain. This is probably why people suffering from depression or PMS often reach for chocolates.
Cocoa beans contain many vitamins and minerals that help boost energy levels and keep the immune system functioning at its best. For example, they are an important source of magnesium. Magnesium has many benefits such as helping to maintain a healthy heartbeat as well as contributing to energy production and stabilizing the functioning of other minerals like zinc, iron and potassium.
On the wrapper of the bar, a percentage is displayed. This shows the amount of ingredients in a bar that actually come from the cocoa bean. It is the other added ingredients that can cause digestive problems. For example, lactose is a complex sugar found in milk and it needs to be broken down by lactase, a digestive enzyme, for it to be absorbed. If someone is deficient in lactase, they are considered lactose intolerant and can suffer from bloating, gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea when eating dairy products. There are products being manufactured today that are dairy free such as those using dairy-free substitutes like coconut milk.
Sugar is added to many products and this can be a problem for those trying to lose weight and for those who prefer not to eat sugar at all. Other products such as unrefined cane sugar is being used increasingly by manufacturers. Vanilla, fruit, nuts and herbs are also being added to improve the bitter flavor of the cocoa. These products often have a subtle intensity of flavor that people grow to prefer to chocolates that are too sweet.
Some people suffer from digestive diseases or irritable bowel syndrome and they find that eating chocolates can affect them adversely. However, for all those people who do not have digestive problems, eating chocolates can be of benefit to the digestive system. Chocolates contains a sufficient amount of fiber to help with peristaltic movement and stimulate the production of digestive enzymes.
When considering chocolate and digestion, it becomes evident that much depends on the health of the person concerned as well as the type of product that is consumed. There are many healthy options available, particularly at online stores. These products are made with the healthiest ingredients possible.
Darker chocolate with the most concentrated cocoa has the most health benefits. Cocoa beans are grown in countries like Ghana with an equatorial climate, meaning regular rainfall and humid conditions. In order for ingredients to be certified as organic they have to comply with various regulations such as no use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Manufacturers are increasingly opting for use of organic ingredients for their health benefits.
Cocoa beans contain polyphenols with antioxidant properties. These antioxidant flavonoids reduce the risk of blood clotting and this helps prevent heart attacks and strokes. Cocoa can increase the serotonin level in the brain. This is probably why people suffering from depression or PMS often reach for chocolates.
Cocoa beans contain many vitamins and minerals that help boost energy levels and keep the immune system functioning at its best. For example, they are an important source of magnesium. Magnesium has many benefits such as helping to maintain a healthy heartbeat as well as contributing to energy production and stabilizing the functioning of other minerals like zinc, iron and potassium.
On the wrapper of the bar, a percentage is displayed. This shows the amount of ingredients in a bar that actually come from the cocoa bean. It is the other added ingredients that can cause digestive problems. For example, lactose is a complex sugar found in milk and it needs to be broken down by lactase, a digestive enzyme, for it to be absorbed. If someone is deficient in lactase, they are considered lactose intolerant and can suffer from bloating, gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea when eating dairy products. There are products being manufactured today that are dairy free such as those using dairy-free substitutes like coconut milk.
Sugar is added to many products and this can be a problem for those trying to lose weight and for those who prefer not to eat sugar at all. Other products such as unrefined cane sugar is being used increasingly by manufacturers. Vanilla, fruit, nuts and herbs are also being added to improve the bitter flavor of the cocoa. These products often have a subtle intensity of flavor that people grow to prefer to chocolates that are too sweet.
Some people suffer from digestive diseases or irritable bowel syndrome and they find that eating chocolates can affect them adversely. However, for all those people who do not have digestive problems, eating chocolates can be of benefit to the digestive system. Chocolates contains a sufficient amount of fiber to help with peristaltic movement and stimulate the production of digestive enzymes.
When considering chocolate and digestion, it becomes evident that much depends on the health of the person concerned as well as the type of product that is consumed. There are many healthy options available, particularly at online stores. These products are made with the healthiest ingredients possible.
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