Dark Chocolate Health Benefits: Harvard Researcher Reports Dark Chocolate Good For Heart
You may have been wondering about the benefits of dark chocolate and have questioned, “Is dark chocolate good for you?” According to an American Heart Association(AHA) scientific journal news release dated Aug. 17, 2010 dark chocolate health benefits are very real. The AHA news release reports that eating moderate amounts of chocolate is linked to lower risks of heart failure and associated with lowering blood pressure as well.
Experts warn, however, moderation is they key. Murray Mittleman, M.D.,Dr.P.H. and director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston says ” If you’re going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it’s in moderation.”
The reason for moderation is, although the benefits of dark chocolate are clear from scientific studies, the consequences of consuming too much fat and too many calories must be weighed in as well.
What To Watch Out For Is Saturated Fat
What to look out for is the amount of saturated fat and sugar we consume with any type of sweets and chocolate products including dark chocolate. Be aware there is unsaturated fat and then there is the less desirable saturated fat. Dark chocolate health benefits actually come, in part, from its unsaturated fat component. The unsaturated fat in chocolate actually helps raise good HDL cholesterol levels and that is good for the heart.
The Fat Content Of A Popular Dark Chocolate Bar
The suggested number of blocks for a single serving is 3 for the large size (6.8oz) Hershey Special Dark. This comes to a total of 11 grams of fat per serving according to the label. Seven of those grams are actually saturated fat grams.
How Much Daily Fat Do We Need?
The average adult needs about 2,000 calories each day. The American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee strongly advises, based on this number of calories consumed, that the average sedentary adult limit total fat intake to less than 16 g saturated fat and total fat in the range of 50 to 70 grams total daily.
People that are active can actually consume more fat and calories with less negative consequences because of their generally higher metabolism rates and their need for more calories. By routinely exercising, eating fruits and vegetables and drinking at least eight glasses of water daily our bodies tend to burn more fat calories and flush more of the excess fat from the system.
How Much Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Is Good For You?
By following what the AHA has set forth as a guide for daily saturated fat intake sedentary individuals should limit indulgence of Hershey Special Dark to no more than 1 or 2 servings daily. At two servings this would be 2 X 7grams = 14 grams of saturated fat.
Eating two servings as a sedentary individual leaves room for only 2 more grams of saturated fat in the diet before the daily recommended limit of 16 grams is reached.
Other than saturated fat, the main negative with many store bought brands of chocolate is the high sugar content per serving. Observing the nutritional labeling of the Hershey Special Dark Chocolate bar we see that it is composed of one half sugar. This is based on each 36 gram serving having 18 grams of sugar. With this said, by all means enjoy dark chocolate health benefits but you may want to consider less sugary brands in doing so.
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