Guest guest Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Hi Butch and all, 3.5 ounces is a lot of chocolate to consume every day! The good news is, 1.5 ounces a day has the same benefits. More isn't always better! Dark chocolate contains more flavoniods than any other food -- including green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries. Enjoy the benefits without an extra 500+ calories a day. But, remember, chocolate is sugar and caffeine, both of which are quite addicting. For midlife women, both will intensify your peri/meno symptoms. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Yes, I love dark chocolate. I eat the organic brands, like Rapunzel, Vivani, Terra Nostra, Dogoba, Endangered Species, and just a couple of squares, instead of 10 which is 1.5 oz. It doesn't give me a sugar high even if I eat the entire bar, which I have been known to do, all 3.5 oz. Some have up to 73% cocoa. It's our favorite treat to sneak into the theatre. Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Who Knew Chocolate Did THIS? Savor that chocolate. It's not only delectable, but also can help control diabetes and high blood pressure. There's just one catch. It must be dark chocolate--not white. A team of researchers from the University of L'Aquila in Italy has found in a small study of 15 people that eating 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily for 15 days lowered blood pressure and improved the body's ability to metabolize sugar from food, report Reuters Health and BBC News. That's better than a prescription medication any day! However, eating the same amount of white chocolate for the same period had no effect on either blood pressure or insulin sensitivity. Previous research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with high levels of a type of antioxidant called flavonoids, which help maintain a healthy heart and good circulation to reduce blood clotting, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, study leader Dr. Claudio Ferri explained that flavonoids help the body by neutralizing oxygen-free radicals, substances that are a normal byproduct of metabolism but which can damage cells known as oxygen-free radicals. A word of caution: Moderation is key. While chocolate is packed with flavonoids, it's also packed with fat and calories. While you may want to add a bit of chocolate to your diet, you must be sure to subtract the equivalent amount of calories by cutting back on other food--or risk weight gain, notes Reuters. The amount of chocolate consumed in this study--3.5 ounces daily--is about 500 calories. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The Chocoholic's Survival Guide [WebMD] http://webcenter.health.webmd.netscape.com/content/article/100/105685.htm Why Do We Crave Chocolate So Much? [institute of Food Research] http://www.ifrn.bbsrc.ac.uk/public/FoodInfoSheets/chocolate.html Find Out the Fat in Your Favorite Chocolate [WebMD] http://webcenter.health.webmd.netscape.com/content/article/57/66068.htm Why Dogs (And Cats) Can't Eat Chocolate [Pet Place] http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artshow.asp?artID=602 & cb=ns The History of Hot Chocolate [What's Cooking America] http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/HotChocolate.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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