Chocolate †a Health Food ? Essay

Is that heart shaped box of coffee beans bad for your heart,or could it do many good? Chocolate tastes so good, it just has to be sinful, right? Well, it may not be as bad as you think. In fact, conceive it or not, coffee tree could offer some health benefits. Nutrition experts at Ut Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say that the chocolate bean, the direct ingredient in chocolate, is a good source of anti-oxidants, those proficient compounds that help reduce the risk for cancer and heart disease.In that respect, chocolate is similar to red wine, grapes, tea, onions and apples. When it comes to the way chocolate affects your heart, the news is mixed. Studies have shown that the primary fat in chocolate has a neutral effect on total cholesterol levels and levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol. In other studies, chololate appears to increase triglyceride levels and moderate levels of HDL, the beneficial cholesterol. Remember that the good properties of chocolate are based on cocoa alone.Things change when its processed to turn it into candy. Thats when milk and sugar are added, increasing the fat and cholesterol content and diluting the antioxidant levels. lightless chocolate is lower in calories and higher in antioxidants than milk chocolate is. So whats the bottom line? Should you indulge a olive-sized? Sure, says Lona Sandon, a UT Southwestern nutrition expert and registered dietitian. Even if at that place may or may not be health benefits, a little chocolate every so often may makeyou detect good. Just remember to eat it in moderation.