We all love chocolate, and it is always great news to find out that it can boost health in many ways. Dark chocolate slows memory loss and improves cognitive function.
According to the lead study author Saverio Stranges, a visiting academic at the Warwick Medical School:
“Given the growing body of evidence, including our own study, cocoa-based products may represent an additional dietary recommendation to improve cardio-metabolic health.”
Medical News Today reports:
The researchers found that hot chocolate helped improve blood flow to parts of the brain where it was needed.
Lead author, Farzaneh A. Sorond, said:
“As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.”
According to HealthLine:
“A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains:
- 11 grams of fiber
- 67% of the RDI for iron
- 58% of the RDI for magnesium
- 89% of the RDI for copper
- 98% of the RDI for manganese
- It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium
The principal investigator Ala’a Alkerwi adds:
“It is also possible that chocolate consumption may represent an overall marker for a cluster of favorable socio-demographic profiles, healthier lifestyle behaviors, and better health status. This could explain, at least in part, the observed inverse associations with insulin and liver biomarkers.”
Now, here is a simple recipe for a delicious homemade chocolate bar:
- 1 cup raw cacao
- 1/2 cup organic, cold-pressed coconut oil
- 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- A handful of almonds, chopped into slivers (optional)
In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil, and then add all the ingredients, except for the almonds. Next, lay out a cookie sheet with parchment paper on it, pour the mixture over it, make a rectangle, and sprinkle with almonds. Leave to freeze. Enjoy!