Dark chocolate is good for you?
In a study published in the March issue (2005) of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers cited that
dark chocolate improved insulin sensitivity and resistance and decreased blood pressure in healthy persons. White chocolate did not. Dark chocolate contains a high level of flavanols. Studies have indicated that flavanols exert vascular protection because of their antioxidant properties and increased nitric oxide bioavailability. The good news is that you can have dark chocolate guilt-free. (Barclay, L. MD, Medscape Med News, 2005)
But don't go rush out and eat all the chocolate you can find or you will accumulate so much fat that it will certainly counter the positive effect. Chocolate is usually in the form of chocolate cake, New York chocolate chunk ice cream, chocolate brownie sundaes with chocolate syrup and whipped cream, etc. All these forms of chocolate are NOT what the study reviewed. It reviewed pure chocolate - presumably in the form of chocolate bars.
Since the majority of us are concerned with losing weight, I tell my clients to eat a small amount of a dark chocolate bar - like a single square. But this should only be after a balanced meal. This sounds like nothing but if you eat it slowly and enjoy every rich little morsel, it is just a great as chowing down on a whole candy bar. It is important not to eat chocolate on an empty stomach in order to keep from spiking blood sugar levels.
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