5 Health Benefits of Chocolate

chocolate

05 Mar 5 Health Benefits of Chocolate

Posted at 08:39h in Food by

We love chocolate in the UK. Nearly one in six Brits (and a quarter of Londoners) eat chocolate every day with only 5% of people saying they never eat chocolate. For many of us, Easter has essentially become a chocolate-filled, very long weekend. The good news is, there are health benefits of chocolate, as long as you opt for a quality chocolate with a high cocoa content.

CAN CHOCOLATE BE HEALTHY?

When it comes to the health benefits of chocolate, there is a big difference between your average Snickers or Mars Bar and high quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or above. Many popular traditional ‘chocolate’ treats are mostly sugar, which as you’ll already know, is rarely a healthy addition to your diet. Cocoa, however, can be. As a general rule, the higher the cocoa % the greater the health benefits and lower the sugar content is likely to be. If you can pick an organic chocolate too, all the better. Here are five proven health benefits of chocolate:

COCOA IS A SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants help to protect the body against free radical damage – linked to premature ageing and increased disease risk. Fruits and vegetables are amongst the best source of antioxidants but studies have also shown that good quality chocolate contains a variety of different beneficial antioxidants too. In fact, one study found that cocoa contained more antioxidants than many other ‘super fruits’ including blueberries and Acai berries.

COCOA IS GOOD FOR HEART HEALTH

Studies have shown that cocoa and dark chocolate may have a mild effect on helping to reduce high blood pressure. The antioxidants in chocolate have also been shown to help prevent against oxidised LDL cholesterol which has the potential to damage tissues such as your heart and arteries.

IT MAY PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM SUN DAMAGE

Though I wouldn’t suggest you throw away your suncream just yet, the flavonols in dark chocolate have been shown to help protect our skin from the damaging effects of the sun. It’s important to choose raw or minimally processed chocolate because the flavonol content of traditional chocolate is negligible.

IT’S RICH IN BENEFICIAL NUTRIENTS

As well as fibre, dark chocolate contains good levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium and manganese as well as zinc and selenium. Minerals are essential for many aspects of health and wellbeing.

IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN

Studies have shown that chocolate can help to promote blood flow to the brain and can benefit brain health in a number of ways. It may help to prevent memory loss, promote cognitive function and it has a positive effect on mood.

Read more: 6 Of The Healthiest Easter Eggs

It goes without saying that even dark chocolate still contains a fair amount of sugar and should be consumed in moderation… but hopefully this will give you a reason to feel a bit less guilty about your chocolatey indulgences over the weekend!

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Linda is our Practice Coordinator, helping to keep the clinic running smoothly.

 

Originally from Texas, Linda completed her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan. Linda has worked as a Strategy Consultant across multiple industries globally in cities including Kyoto, Paris, Chicago and San Francisco. She developed an interest in nutrition whilst volunteering for an organisation that provides cooking and nutrition education to children and families.

Linda is now settled in London with her husband, two children, and her very bouncy, sociable dog.

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Sarah has worked with hundreds of clients over the past decade to help them live in a healthy body that they feel confident in.


Sarah spent a large part of her teens and 20’s as a professional dancer battling with orthorexia and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. This created a desire to understand the human body more so she could finally cut through the confusion and end the cycle of yoyo dieting. This fuelled her passion to help other women do the same.

 

Sarah specialises in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight due to underlying health issues. She’s helped many women manage their weight during and after the menopause, as well as clients with thyroid disease and immune system dysfunction. Sarah loves food and sharing healthy recipes with her clients. Her aim is to ensure that clients don’t feel deprived and instead, achieve their weight loss and health goals in a positive and sustainable way.

 

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Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

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NIKKI ANDRIANI

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team and heading up the day-to-day running of our clinic.

 

Coming from a background in town planning, Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, continually ensuring we are delivering the very best service to our clients.


A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 where she lives with her husband, two children, and her rescue dog Skyy.

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Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

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Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

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Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

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