ACAFE Medicina 2014/1

Eat Chocolate!

If you're a fan of the sweet stuff, you probably jumped for joy at the good news this week. Research published Monday suggested that regular chocolate eaters may more frequently have lower BMIs (Body Mass Index).

But before you start eating your favorite chocolate, remember this: while chocolate can do the body good, the study certainly doesn't go as far as proving a causal link between eating more chocolate and losing weight. Keep in mind that all chocolate was not created equal: dark chocolate is healthier overall, but even the bittersweet varieties can be high in calories, fat and sugar.

However, treating yourself to a small amount of chocolate regularly is definitely a health message we can follow. Take a look at those surprising health benefits below.

Regular chocolate eaters welcome multiple benefits for their hearts, including lower blood pressure, lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and a lower risk of heart disease. One of the reasons dark chocolate is especially heart-healthy is its inflammation-fighting properties, which reduce cardiovascular risk.

Chocolate also protects your skin. Forget what you've heard _____ chocolate causing skin problems: dark chocolate is _____ good for your skin. The type of antioxidants called flavonoids found in dark chocolate _____ some protection from UV _____ from the sun. But no, that does not _____ you can neglect the sunscreen!

Adapted from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/chocolate-eatinglower- bmi-body-mass-index_n_1379368.html - October 8, 2013.