TWELVE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE BEING GOOD FOR HEALTH…

With Easter now upon us I thought I would write a quick post on some nice things you can enjoy over Easter that are good for your heart health.

1.Super Cacao by Aduna uses a type of cacao bean which contains eight times the flavanols (thought to maintain elasticity of blood vessels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems) of a normal cacao powder, and is 100% natural. It’s heart health claims have been approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Their Super Cacao Powder is one of their best sellers.

2. Drink coffee with milk the heart healthy way. Try and make your coffee with 1% fat milk instead of semi-skimmed milk for a healthier heart. You will not taste the difference but semi-skimmed milk contains 70% more than 1 % fat milk. A daily serving of two 200ml glasses of semi-skimmed milk amounts to 4g of cholesterol-raising saturated fat compared to 2.4g in the 1% fat milk.

3. Filter your coffee to cut your cholesterol. Apparently unfiltered brewed coffee contains traces of oily substances called cafestol and kahweol, which can increase blood cholesterol. So swapping to the filtered sort will get rid of the problem as the fatty residues are held back by the filter. Of course instant coffee is fine.

4. According to a Greek study, one cup of coffee a day could reduce your blood pressure. Researchers actually found that those who drank between one and two cups of coffee daily had the healthiest arteries.

5. Two cups of coffee a day (no more than two cups if you are pregnant) could keep Alzheimer’s at bay.

6. After studying more than 122,000 women, researchers found that three cups a day can reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

7. However, according to a US study in 2006, coffee drinkers who have more than three cups a day may increase their risk of a heart attack.

8. According to Medical News Today, chocolate receives a lot of bad press because of its high fat and sugar content. Its consumption has been associated with acne, obesity, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. but chocolate’s antioxidant potential may have a range of health benefits.

9. Some studies have suggested chocolate could lower cholesterol levels and prevent memory decline.

10.Researchers who studied cyclists doing time trials in the U.K. found that “After eating dark chocolate, the riders used less oxygen when cycling at a moderate pace and also covered more distance in a two-minute flat-out time trial.”

11.Antioxidants can help reduce free radical damage linked with premature ageing. It can be found in foods such as beans, fruit and dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate ranks higher than many fruit and vegetables for its antioxidant power.

12.Healthline says dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Studies show that dark chocolate (not the sugary crap) can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.