Unlike most sweet treats, dark chocolates are considered as healthy and have been touted for many years to have many benefits to the brain and body.

Made from the seeds of a cocoa tree, this scrumptious, bittersweet snack has the highest amount of the antioxidant known as flavanols. 

If you’ve dreamt of spoiling your sweet tooth without feeling guilty, now you have an excuse – or five!

Here are five benefits of eating dark chocolates supported by research.

 

1. Dark chocolates may help prevent heart diseases.

 

Yes, dark chocolates are not only tasty but also hearty!

A 2010 study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that consuming dark chocolate more than five times a week can drastically reduce your risk of heart disease by 57 percent.

Flavonols are known to benefit our vascular health by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.

 

 

2. Dark chocolates may protect your skin from sun damage.

 

Surprisingly, dark chocolates can do wonders to your skin too.

“Cocoa, or dark chocolate, contains 4 times as much phenols and catechins as tea — antioxidants that protect our skin from sunburn and skin cancer,” says Frank Lipman, MD, founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City.

Flavonols in dark chocolates can also improve blood flow to the skin and increase skin density and hydration.

 

 

3. Dark chocolates may improve brain function.

 

Our cognitive function deteriorates with age and other conditions so it makes sense to get all the help we can get for our brain health.

Several studies have demonstrated evidence that consumption of cocoa can significantly improve blood flow in the brain which results in boosted memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills.

One study on adults ages 50 to 69 also found that participants taking cocoa supplements high in flavonol content for three months performed better on tests of memory than those assigned with low flavonol content.

 

 

4. Dark chocolates may boost your mood.

 

Research has shown chocolate stimulates neural activity in areas of the brain associated with pleasure and reward, which in turn decreases stress and improves your mood.

It also boosts the production of the feel-good chemical called endorphins which bind with opiate receptors in the brain leading to feelings of euphoria as joggers get from a “runner’s high.”

 

 

5. Dark chocolate may aid with weight loss.

 

You are not reading it wrong. Eating chocolate could be one of the last things you want to do if you want to shed some pounds. But researchers are now supporting the consumption of dark chocolate to aid with weight loss.

A 2008 research in the University of Copenhagen revealed that eating dark chocolates can reduce cravings for junk foods of all kinds – be it sweet, salty or fatty – an efficient way to cut carbs from your diet.

 

 

While dark chocolate is considered healthy, it still contains a good chunk of calories and fats. Consumption in moderation is still key. Another thing to keep in mind to reap its maximum health benefits: the darker the dark chocolate the better.