Most often, people, without thinking about whether chocolate is beneficial or harmful, simply happily eat a piece of this delicacy for dessert or during an afternoon snack, and some like to enjoy chocolate candy at night. Doctors are in a hurry to reassure: the benefits of chocolate (especially bitter) are greater than the harm, and significantly so, and given the fact that it also improves mood, it is simply blasphemous to deprive yourself of this wonderful product.

What are the benefits of chocolate and cocoa

May everything be covered in chocolate! - they say to the person to whom they want to wish the best. Why in chocolate? Yes, because it has long become a symbol of luxury and prosperity. An ideal product that has medicinal properties when used internally and externally, is fragrant, tasty and affordable, will not leave children and the elderly, capricious ladies and courageous men indifferent...

Chocolate is a favorite treat for many people. True, there are those who are indifferent to him, and, as it turns out, in vain! After all, chocolate is not only a tasty product, but also a medicinal product. Is chocolate healthy and why exactly? Firstly, one should not deny the invigorating effect of chocolate due to the presence of cocoa beans in it. What is useful about chocolate is that even a small piece helps with a sharp loss of strength and stimulates brain function. True, not for long, you must definitely consolidate the effect with a full meal. Please note that we are only talking about real dark chocolate, no fakes! The benefits of dark chocolate have long been used in medicine. It reduces heart pain, improves liver and digestion function. In cosmetology, and are popular. But it’s best, and most importantly – tastier, to be treated with chocolate from the inside! The benefits of chocolate for children, however, are not so high. In general, pediatricians advise introducing sweets to children as late as possible, starting at about two or three years old, then the children will be calmer about
reach for sweets.

The benefits of chocolate for the body are that the natural substances contained in cocoa beans help the body produce neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) - serotonin, tryptophan and dopamine, which affect overall mood and energy. When the level of production of these substances is low, a depressive state occurs, which contributes to the emergence of various neuroses.

Below are the main points emphasizing the benefits of chocolate and cocoa for human health and appearance:

• Cocoa has a beneficial effect on human skin, being an excellent natural cosmetic product.
• Cocoa has a beneficial effect on hair, supporting its growth and healthy condition.
• Cocoa is actively involved in the regeneration of the skin and treats many skin diseases and burns.
• Cocoa is good for nutrition and has few restrictions on consumption.
• Cocoa is one of the dietary products indicated for consumption by overweight people, as well as by vegetarians.
• Cocoa is important for the nutrition of athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
• Cocoa is an effective remedy for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Eating chocolate for five years (40 grams per day) improves heart function.
• Cocoa improves the condition of blood vessels and prevents diseases such as varicose veins, atherosclerosis and stroke.
• Cocoa stabilizes blood cholesterol levels.
• Cocoa, by acting on blood vessels, improves the condition of a patient with diabetes. Natural components of cocoa normalize metabolic processes associated with blood sugar levels.
• Cocoa is rich in active antioxidants and is a preventative against cancer.
• Cocoa is rich in magnesium, zinc, chromium, iodine and other minerals and helps to compensate for their deficiency in the human body.
• Cocoa will help everyone who smokes or is in hazardous production conditions or unfavorable environmental conditions.
• Cocoa treats stress.
• Cocoa fights depression.
• Cocoa improves thought processes, performance and overall well-being.

Bitter and dark chocolate are healthy choices for diabetics.

Modern medical science understands the mechanisms of many ailments and is looking for optimal ways not only to treat certain diseases, but also to effectively prevent them. The same goes for our appearance. We want to stay young, but how to effectively maintain our appearance and make it more attractive is a difficult task. However, it turns out that next to us there is a wonderful fighter against diseases and the elixir of youth. Chocolate and cocoa are good tools for solving problems of this kind, although the methods of their use and their benefits are now only slightly revealed to us, who for a long time valued only the excellent taste of their products.

What else is dark chocolate good for beauty and health? Among other things, this product is also an excellent prebiotic and, as a result, an important part of dietary products. What do we even know about prebiotics? According to the standard, these are indigestible components of food that stimulate the growth and vital activity of the microflora of the large intestine. These ingredients include trisaccharides, polysaccharides, dietary fiber, antioxidants, microbial extracts and other prebiotics. Once in the intestines, prebiotics selectively stimulate the growth of microflora beneficial to humans, primarily lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. As for the benefits of chocolate for women and men, scientists from the Nestlé Research Center, with the participation of colleagues from the German companies BASF and Metanomics, concluded in 2010 that with daily consumption of 40 grams of dark chocolate, the metabolism of intestinal microflora changes. A similar study was later conducted by the Mars company and the University of Reading, led by Dr. D. Spencer. A group of 21 people were selected for the study, some of whom consumed cocoa with a high content of flavonoids (494 mg), and some were content with a drink with a low content of nutrients (23 mg). The result showed a significant increase in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestines of subjects who drank the flavonoid-enriched cocoa drink. Dr. Spencer noted: “The increase in the growth of lactobacteria and bifidobacteria was the result of the body receiving cocoa flavonoids. It is important to note that these bacteria have a beneficial effect on the intestines, inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms and are currently the most common prebiotics. Increasing the growth of beneficial bacteria affects positive processes in the colon. They suppress the growth of pathogenic microflora, stimulate the synthesis of certain vitamins, such as B9, and reduce cholesterol levels.”

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Methylxanthines are of great importance in the fight against cardiovascular diseases, with theobromine and caffeine having a beneficial effect on the heart and circulatory system. As already noted, the beneficial effects of theobromine in angina pectoris were noticed back in the 19th century. A hundred years ago, theobromine, combined with sodium salicylate, was used as a vasodilator. During those same years, questions were raised about the effect of theobromine on blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that theobromine and caffeine in natural doses, that is, in cocoa, have no effect on the blood pressure of healthy people and patients with type 1 hypertension. The same applies to cocoa drinks artificially enriched with theobromine. Along the way, the researchers discovered some interesting things. Cocoa, and in particular the theobromine it contains, significantly increased “good” cholesterol, the same one that protects our blood vessels. At the same time, the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood of the subjects decreased!

The benefits of dark chocolate for men and women

It has been proven that the benefit of dark chocolate for men is that it reduces the risk of heart attacks in the stronger sex by 17%. Scientists made this conclusion after an experiment in which men ate 63 grams of chocolate per week for ten years.

The benefits of chocolate for the female body are no less noticeable. However, like other sweets, they should not be overused, otherwise the effect will be the opposite: hello, extra pounds! To ensure that the benefits of dark chocolate for women are not overshadowed by excess weight, the delicacy should be eaten in small portions. For example, one fourth of a tile per day. This will not only not affect your figure, but will also be beneficial. It is known that chocolate helps get rid of a sad mood or stress, that is, it reduces the production of the hormone cortisol. Natural dark chocolate can help a woman get out of depression. Chocolate allows a woman to remain young and beautiful because it contains antioxidants that prevent the formation of wrinkles on the face.

Another benefit of chocolate for men and women is that cocoa has a beneficial effect on sex life.

Which chocolate is good for brain health?

The brain is the most important human organ. It is responsible for the proper functioning of all organs and systems of the body. And in order for all brain structures to work smoothly and without failures, you need a nutritious diet containing the necessary vitamins and microelements. Under heavy mental stress, the brain simply requires glucose. In such a situation, you shouldn’t torture yourself, and dried fruits or a little chocolate will help satisfy your brain’s hunger for sweets. Which chocolate is healthier for the brain and why exactly?

Dark chocolate is an important stimulant of brain activity. It activates brain cells, dilates blood vessels, and is involved in supplying the brain with oxygen. Chocolate is useful for disorders of the brain caused by lack of sleep and overwork. Helps to recover faster after a stroke. In addition, it contains phosphorus, which nourishes the brain, and magnesium, which is responsible for cellular balance.

Bitter cocoa without any foreign components improves blood circulation in the brain and improves tone. It is incredibly healthy, but not in the form of a chocolate drink promoted by advertising, namely real hot chocolate. It is believed that the ancient Aztecs loved to drink this drink in the morning. Knowing which chocolate is healthier for the brain, drink it with a little water, milk and some cinnamon to taste.

Surely, your doubts about whether dark chocolate is healthy or not have already disappeared.

The benefits of dark chocolate for the body

Which chocolate is healthier - dark or milk? After bitter chocolate, the healthiest chocolate is dark, and it has long ago turned from a luxury into an everyday necessity. Cocoa contains many substances that improve mood, such as magnesium, which is necessary for the production of serotonin in the body. Another element found in cocoa is called andamine, which causes a feeling of euphoria. It affects the same areas of the brain as marijuana. In addition, your chocolate bar contains phenylethylamine, a substance similar to amphetamine, and theobromine, which is as invigorating as caffeine.

The benefit of dark chocolate is that this product contains polyphenol, a very effective antioxidant from the flavonoid group: it protects body cells from free radicals. 40g of dark chocolate contains the same amount of polyphenols as a glass of red wine. Eating a little dark chocolate every day can help normalize your blood pressure.

Dark chocolate contains a range of antioxidants, proanthocyanidins and polyphenols, with a cocoa content of 70% or more. One piece of chocolate contains more polyphenols than a glass of red wine, and as many as a cup of green tea. The molecules of these substances slow down the growth of tumor cells and limit angiogenesis (the process of formation of new blood vessels in an organ or tissue). In cancer, this process is very intense.

For dark chocolate to be beneficial and not harmful, consume it in reasonable quantities.

Health benefits of dark chocolate

To find out which chocolate is healthy, check out the following information: Research shows that eating even a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times a week can help lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent blood clots. Dark chocolate may also prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Dark chocolate is also great for the brain. It increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function. Also helps reduce the risk of stroke. Dark chocolate contains several chemical compounds that have positive effects on a person's mood and cognitive health. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a substance that the brain produces when you feel in love. Therefore, consuming dark chocolate helps you feel happy. Dark chocolate also contains the mild stimulant caffeine. However, dark chocolate contains significantly less caffeine than coffee. A small chocolate bar (50 grams) contains about 30 mg of caffeine, and a 250 ml cup of coffee contains 200 mg.

Dark chocolate helps control blood sugar and helps keep blood vessels healthy and intact. It can protect against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help reduce insulin resistance by helping cells function normally and restore the body's ability to use the body's insulin effectively. Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won't cause huge spikes in your blood sugar.

Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants. They help protect the body from free radicals that cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals speed up the aging process and can cause cancer. Antioxidant-rich foods like dark chocolate may protect against many types of cancer and slow down the signs of aging.

Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which has been shown to help strengthen tooth enamel. This means that this chocolate, unlike most other sweets, reduces the risk of tooth decay with proper oral hygiene. Theobromine is also a mild stimulant, although not as strong as caffeine. It may, however, help suppress a cough.

Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support health. In particularly high concentrations it contains minerals such as potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron. The copper and potassium in dark chocolate help prevent stroke and heart disease. The iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anemia, while magnesium helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

And again, do not forget that in order for dark chocolate to bring benefits and not harm, do not overuse this product.

The benefits and harms of milk chocolate for the body

Now it’s time to learn about the benefits and harms of milk chocolate for the human body.

Milk chocolate has almost the same effect on the body as dark chocolate. The fundamental difference lies in the composition: on the label of a milk bar, in addition to information about 30-50% cocoa content, you will find a mention of cocoa/vegetable butter, cocoa powder, dry or condensed milk (it can also be dry or skim cream), sugar. Milk chocolate differs from dark chocolate primarily in that it contains less cocoa products. The second main difference is the high fat content, which is achieved by adding dairy products. The benefits of milk chocolate are somewhat less than those of dark chocolate. The content of nutrients and vitamins (catechin, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron), which cocoa beans are rich in, decreases along with the percentage of cocoa.

If the benefit of milk chocolate lies, first of all, in the production of endorphins (hormones of joy) and raising the mood, then it has much more harmful effects. All of them are associated with the high fat content of the delicacy and record sugar content. From here it is easy to predict the consequences: increased cholesterol levels, extra calories, caries, problems with blood vessels and other well-known “sweet” consequences. True, some of them often exaggerate.

The health benefits and harms of white chocolate

What are the benefits of white chocolate and what are its health risks? The ingredients of the sweet contain thickener lecithin and vanillin; manufacturers add nuts, coconut, raisins and other components to it. High aromatic properties and low sugar content are the undoubted benefits of white chocolate; in addition, it contains cocoa butter, rich in vitamin E. It helps women bear fruit during pregnancy. Another benefit of white chocolate is that the presence of linolenic and arachidic fatty acids in this delicacy helps prevent diabetes.

The benefits of white chocolate are known due to the tannin it contains; it has anti-inflammatory properties, methylxanine, used in the treatment of bronchial asthma and lung diseases. The product contains painkiller caffeine, which improves cerebral circulation. Thanks to caffeine, it has a stimulating effect on the body, and due to its tannin content, the product heals abrasions and wounds on the skin. Masks are made from it, which are used for dry or inflamed skin, it is used to treat the effects of furunculosis and eliminate other skin defects.

White chocolate is harmful due to its high content of milk fats, which are extremely high in calories. The product is not recommended for use by obese patients. White chocolate is known to be harmful due to its addictive properties. Additionally, due to its high fat and carbohydrate content, it can lead to weight gain if consumed in large quantities.

The harm of white chocolate for allergy sufferers lies in the content in the product, which can cause severe irritation. It can also increase blood pressure or cause arrhythmia.

White chocolate is highly beneficial for young people. It successfully fights teenage acne, protects delicate skin from chapping and even frostbite, and therefore gives us a good appearance.

The benefits of hot chocolate and the benefits of cocoa for the female body

What are the benefits of hot chocolate for humans and especially for the female body? Modern biochemical studies show that cocoa beans contain over 400 chemical compounds, the main one of which is phenylephylamine. It is this substance that is produced in the human body when he is in love. Another benefit of hot chocolate is that it stimulates sexual appetite.

Hot chocolate or cocoa clears the mind, promotes digestion and mental activity, rejuvenates the body, and also works with female reproductive cells. Another benefit of hot chocolate is that this drink helps with menstrual irregularities and restores ovarian function after childbirth and gynecological operations. It is also indispensable for thyroid dysfunction.

By the way, contrary to popular belief, cocoa helps you lose extra pounds. It is useful for anyone who is watching their figure to go on a cocoa diet.

Well, “in a difficult moment in life,” to raise your tone and improve your mood, drink hot chocolate made from grated chocolate with cream and sugar. Offer the same drink to your loved one before intimacy - to ignite desire, just as after - to restore strength and stimulate the functioning of the prostate gland.

The benefits of chocolate for children

Although the benefits of chocolate for children are quite high, doctors strongly recommend not giving it to children under 1.5 years of age. The reason lies in caffeine, theobromine and sugar. These substances excite the nervous system, which is not at all appropriate during infancy. The baby is just beginning to learn about natural food, he is teething, so additional stimulation of the nervous system is completely unnecessary.

Scientists have developed a new type of chocolate with added juice. New technology could replace about 50% of the fat in chocolate with juice, vitamin C water or diet cola.

This chocolate is much healthier for children than regular chocolate, since 60 grams of regular dark chocolate contains 13 grams of fat (this is 20% of the daily value), most of the fats in chocolate are unhealthy saturated fats. The new technology will reduce the amount of fat in the product.

This technology also makes it possible to reduce the amount of sugar in chocolate, which is also beneficial for children’s health. Today the technology works with dark, milk and white chocolate. Scientists have already managed to produce chocolate with apple, orange and cranberry juices.

The benefits and harms of soy chocolate with lecithin

There is such a product as soy chocolate: is it beneficial or harmful? Those who are terribly afraid of soy should be warned: most types of chocolate contain soy lecithin E476, which belongs to the group of stabilizers. Lecithin for the food industry is obtained from many plants, such as sunflower, but soy is cheaper, so it is used more often. Speaking about the benefits and harms of soy lecithin in chocolate, doctors reassure: in small quantities it is beneficial for the body, primarily for the nervous system.

The benefit of lecithin in chocolate is that it has a positive effect on the functioning of the liver and brain, and slows down oxidative processes in the body. But soy lecithin in excessive quantities is harmful: it contains phytoestrogens, which have a negative effect on human hormonal levels. Soy lecithin is included in almost any chocolate.

In a number of countries, the use of soy lecithin is prohibited, but in Russia, Ukraine and most European countries E476 is freely used in the food industry.

Which chocolate is the healthiest: bitter, dark, white or milk?

In order to figure out which chocolate is the healthiest, you should know what it is. Bitter, dark, white, milky - all these varieties, despite the common name “chocolate”, have completely different properties. Which chocolate is healthier: dark or bitter, white or milk? The benefits of milk and white chocolate due to their high content of sugar and other additives are questionable, but bitter or dark chocolate in reasonable quantities is undoubtedly beneficial. Real dark chocolate should only contain three ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar.

Cocoa, and therefore high-quality dark chocolate, is rich in flavonols, which prevent blockage of blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of myocardial infarction and angina attacks. Thanks to the ability of flavonols to synthesize nitric oxide, which is actively involved in blood circulation in the body, dark chocolate lowers blood pressure. In addition, cocoa contains magnesium, one of the most important minerals for heart health. Thus, with regular, at least twice a week, consumption of dark chocolate, the risk of cardiovascular diseases is significantly reduced.

Which chocolate is the healthiest for children and adults: the best brands

Well, now some specifics: Which brands of chocolate are healthier for children and adults? Natural chocolate without artificial additives is very difficult to find. Even manufacturers of expensive and exclusive brands of chocolate have difficulty finding high-quality raw materials. Small Swedish producers often use 64% chocolate mass made from cocoa from the wild cocoa tree in the Bolivian jungle. Swiss chocolate maker Felchlin has agreed with the Amazon Indians that it will harvest the wild cocoa tree over a period of time on their terms. True gourmets, in addition to the Feltschlin brand, choose Valhrona, Callebaut, Chocovic, Belcolade - a brand of chocolate whose producers comply with fair trade rules. Finding it is quite difficult.

Spain's oldest gourmet chocolate brand, Valor, is produced in Villajoyosa, often called the "Chocolate City". The city has a lot of entertainment related to chocolate, for example, a museum where you can get acquainted with the production technology of this delicacy. Fame came to the city in the 18th century, when cocoa beans from Ecuador and Venezuela began to be brought here. The healthiest chocolate of the Valor brand is widely known throughout Europe. At the company's flagship boutique and various cafes in Alicante, you can try delicious chocolate mousses, cold chocolate drinks with ice cream, as well as a local delicacy, hot chocolate with donuts.

Which dark chocolate is the healthiest: the best brands

No one has any doubt which dark chocolate is the healthiest and tastiest – Belgian, of course! According to ancient production standards, Belgian chocolate does not contain artificial flavors, preservatives or additives. It contains only natural cocoa butter and cocoa mass, and of the highest quality. In Belgium, chocolate is considered bitter if it contains at least 72% cocoa mass. Almost every Belgian town has a small chocolate factory, as well as small boutique shops where you can buy delicious handmade chocolate. Which dark chocolate is healthy and famous all over the world? The Belgian city of Bruges is generally recognized as the world capital of chocolate. The most famous brands of Belgian chocolate are: Neuhaus, Leonidas, Godiva, Gilian, Pierre Marcolini, Wittamer.

French producers of high-quality chocolate have recently begun to displace Belgian and Swiss chocolatiers from the top lines of the ranking of the best chocolate.

The best French-made dark chocolate amazes not only with its exquisite taste and boldness in the selection of ingredients. A box of chocolates from the Richard factory, for example, is equipped with built-in sensors that monitor temperature and humidity. The best brands of French chocolate are represented by the following brands: “Richard”, “Madame Sevigne”, “Michel Richard”, “Michel Chatillon”, “Debauve & Gallais”.

The best brands of dark chocolate in Russia are produced in factories: “Fidelity to Quality”, “Russian Chocolate”, “Russia”, “Victory of Taste”, “Odintsovo Confectionery Factory”, “Bogatyr”. The entire range of dark chocolate flavors is perhaps most fully represented in the products of the “Fidelity to Quality” factory. Content of cocoa mass in premium chocolate bars: 65%, 75%, 85% and 99%. Inside one 100-gram package of chocolate from the “Assorted Bitter Chocolate Flavors” brand there are 20 square 5-gram bars representing the entire range of bitter chocolate flavors produced by this factory. The flavor palette of dark chocolate from the Odintsovo confectionery factory (producing A. Korkunov brand chocolate) contains from 55 to 72% cocoa mass.

Also, the best brands of Russian chocolate are produced at three factories of the United Confectioners holding: Babaevsky Concern, Rot Front, Krasny Oktyabr. The dark chocolate produced by the Babaevsky concern amazes with its variety of flavoring additives. Nuts (hazelnuts, almonds), vitamins, pieces of candied fruit, sesame seeds, and ginger are added to it. Some types of chocolate are made using a sweetener (isomalt). Dark chocolate without additives contains 75 and 87% cocoa mass. The Red October factory produces dark chocolate of the “Slava” (porous and dessert) and “Gorky” brands, containing 80% grated cocoa. The Rot Front factory, part of the same holding, produces 3 variants of dark chocolate of the “Autumn Waltz” brand, containing 56% cocoa mass: dark chocolate with alcohol content; dark chocolate with orange pieces; bitter aerated chocolate containing alcohol and orange pieces.

Buying good chocolate is not as easy as it seems. Truly delicious chocolate - handmade chocolate, a work of art that is hard to pass by. Today, the word “chocolate” most often refers to bars made from a combination of cocoa proteins, fats, sugar and other ingredients.

Chocolate is usually produced in small modeled shapes of squares, animals, people or fantastic objects. They are often issued for festive events, for example, in the form of bunnies and eggs for Easter, coins for Hanukkah, St. Nicholas for Christmas, hearts for Valentine’s Day and Santa Clauses for the New Year.

Harm of chocolate to the body

Well, now let’s put a little fly in the ointment of the “chocolate honey”. Knowing which brands of chocolate are the healthiest, we must not forget about the dangers of this product.

Chocolate is a high-calorie product. One chocolate bar (100 g) contains more than 500 kcal, which is approximately 1/5 of the daily diet. Excessive consumption of this delicacy leads to the fact that fat begins to be deposited between the muscles, in the connective tissue and under the skin.

Chocolate contains a large amount of fat (up to 40 g per 100 g of chocolate), which negatively affects the cardiovascular system. This delicacy contains caffeine, which can cause heartburn, gastrointestinal diseases, nausea and prostate enlargement in men. Even one mug of chocolate increases your pulse and raises your blood pressure. People who have had a heart attack or stroke should avoid this product.

Chocolate is not at all beneficial, but rather harmful to health, if you consume cheap products from an unknown manufacturer. Small producers often replace expensive cocoa butter with palm oil and coconut oil. Such chocolate products will contain trans fats, which can cause hormonal imbalance, excess weight, atherosclerosis, malignant tumors and other serious pathologies. Chocolate can intensify an allergic reaction. Therefore, as soon as the first signs of any allergy appear, you should stop eating sweets for a week.

Before making a purchase, we advise you to carefully read the labels on the packaging. If “vegetable fat” is found among the ingredients, this means that its natural fat, cocoa butter, has been removed from cocoa, for which the cosmetic industry is willing to pay any money. Most likely, the cocoa butter was replaced with cheap vegetable oil or coconut fat.

Palm oil, which is very harmful to health, is sometimes added to chocolate bars. For example, the cocoa brand Oegonkakao, beloved by Swedes since childhood, owes its taste and aroma to artificial additives and flavorings. So think carefully before you grab a chocolate bar from the shelf at the checkout and throw it into your cart. Instead of eating bad chocolate, it is better to avoid it altogether.

It is quite possible that in the very near future, dark chocolate therapy will become an integral part of the treatment of liver cirrhosis! The results of a study by Spanish scientists confirm the extremely beneficial effect of this product on the liver.

On April 15, 2010, at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in the Austrian capital of Vienna, the results of the work of Spanish researchers were presented, which aroused great interest in the scientific community. To the already known positive properties of dark chocolate, one more thing has now been added - the ability to prevent an increase in blood pressure in the abdominal cavity, which is very valuable for patients with cirrhosis of the liver. The fact is that a jump in blood pressure in a person usually occurs after eating, and for those who suffer from cirrhosis of the liver, this is very dangerous - because in especially serious cases, an uncontrolled increase in pressure as a result of an increased flow of blood to the liver can lead to rupture of a blood vessel.

From the history of chocolate

An ancient Aztec legend is connected with the history of the origin of chocolate, telling about a wizard-gardener named Quetzalcoatl, who grew a tree in his garden with black grains similar to beans. People used them to make a very tasty drink called “chocolatl”. But the gardener was filled with pride, for which he was punished by the gods, who sent him madness. Embraced by it, he destroyed his entire wonderful garden. And only one tree remained. As you may have guessed, this was the same cocoa tree from which “chocolatl” was made.

The real history of the spread of cocoa is much more prosaic. In 1519, the conquistadors under the leadership of Hernando Cortes plundered the ancient capital of Mexico - the city of Tenochtitlan and there, in the storerooms of the royal palace of Montezuma, they discovered reserves of some hard dark grains. The Aztecs taught the conquerors how to properly brew “chocolatl” - grind roasted cocoa beans with corn grains at the stage of milky ripeness, then add honey and sweet agave juice to the drink and flavor everything with vanilla.

So the drink, renamed “chocolate,” appeared at the court of the Spanish king and was a carefully guarded secret for quite a long time. Until, 100 years later, it reached the French royal court, and another 100 years later - to other rich Europeans. Solid chocolate appeared only at the end of the 19th century and, thanks to the fact that the price of cocoa and sugar had dropped significantly by this time, it became available to all segments of the population. It was made according to a recipe similar to the drink, but contained much more cocoa butter, which hardened into a bar. Also, depending on the amount of cocoa added, the chocolate could be darker (and therefore bitter) or lighter (milky) and even just white.

Over the past centuries, the cocoa tree has “migrated” from its historical homeland to the African continent and now its main producers are countries such as Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast), Nigeria and Cameroon.

Chocolate continues to amaze scientists

Much is already known about the health benefits of this confectionery masterpiece. For example, there is evidence that it promotes the production of secretory immunoglobulin A, an important component of antiviral defense, as well as serotonin, the hormone of happiness, the absence of which leads to long-term depression. And we all, even without scientific evidence, have long known that chocolate perfectly lifts the mood and relieves fatigue after a hard day.

More recently, the results of other studies concerning the hitherto unknown properties of chocolate were summed up. For example, as scientists have found, it can reduce the risk of stroke. Dr. Gustavo Saposnik, director of the St. Michael's Stroke Center in Toronto, spoke about this at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Having examined three independent studies, he and his team, although noting the ambiguity of their colleagues' findings, still urged confidence in the results of the study, in which scientists proved that consuming just 50 grams of chocolate weekly reduces the risk of death from stroke by almost half. Dr. Saposnik explained this effect by the high content in chocolate (twice as much as in the same green tea or red wine) of flavonoids - antioxidants, which increases the concentration of oxide, thereby regulating the functions of cells on the inner walls of blood vessels and preventing damage to cell membranes by harmful free substances. radicals. The scientist emphasized that in no case does he encourage people to consume chocolate uncontrollably. We are talking only about dark chocolate, and in rather small doses.

Free radicals- these are anomalous oxidizing molecules that have an unpaired electron in the last electronic level, which makes them extremely unstable. In this state, free radicals trap vulnerable enzymes, lipids, and even entire cells. By taking an electron from a molecule, they inactivate cells, thereby disrupting the body's delicate chemical balance.

Similar conclusions were reached by researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who, under the leadership of Dr. Brian Buijsse, monitored almost 20,000 people aged 35 to 65 years for 10 years, analyzing their eating style, lifestyle and quality of health. After summarizing all the data, the scientists saw that those people who ate an average of 7.5 grams of chocolate per day had lower blood pressure than those who allowed themselves only 1.7 grams of chocolate per day. According to scientists, the first group of people was also 39% less likely to have a heart attack. In other words, if those people who limited themselves in the amount of chocolate ate just 6 grams more of it per day, almost half of them would be protected from heart attacks and strokes.

German researchers, like their American colleagues, associate this valuable property of chocolate with flavonoids, only calling them a little differently: “flavanol.” Dr. Brian Busse, summarizing the work done, suggested that flavanol most likely has the valuable property of regulating cerebral circulation and lowering blood pressure, thereby significantly reducing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

How much to eat in grams?

So, as can be seen from scientific research, chocolate not only improves your mood, but also has health benefits. Which chocolate do you prefer? Of course, dark, because antioxidants are contained in cocoa. White chocolate is made from cocoa bean butter and

All liver patients know that sweets in the form of chocolate are contraindicated for us. However, this may be misleading.

In all diets for liver diseases it is written that chocolate is strictly contraindicated. However, the recently released results of research by the European Association for the study of the liver (EASL - a leading European scientific community involved in the development of research and education in hepatology) give hope for a bright future. 🙂

On April 15, 2010, in Vienna, Austria, at the International Liver Congress 2010, a study was presented that found that dark chocolate reduces damage to the blood vessels of patients with cirrhosis, and also lowers blood pressure in the liver. Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants that reduce postprandial blood pressure in the liver (so-called portal hypertension) associated with damage to the liver and blood vessels (endothelial dysfunction). It is worth noting once again - they are talking about dark chocolate, but white chocolate did not lead to the same effect.

Professor Mark Thursz, MD FRCP, EASL Deputy Secretary and Professor in the Department of Hepatology at Imperial College London, said: “...it is important to explore the potential of alternative sources that can contribute to a patient's overall well-being. This study showed a clear association between dark chocolate consumption and portal hypertension and demonstrates the potential importance of improvements in the management of patients with cirrhosis to minimize the occurrence and impact of end-stage liver disease and its associated mortality risks.”

Liver cirrhosis is the formation of scarring on the liver as a result of long-term, continuous damage to the liver (for example, viral hepatitis). In liver cirrhosis, circulation within the liver is damaged by oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defenses. After eating, blood pressure in the abdominal vein usually increases due to increased blood flow to the liver. This is especially dangerous and devastating for people with cirrhosis, since they already have high blood pressure in the liver (portal hypertension) and other organs, which can lead to rupture of blood vessels. Thus, eating dark chocolate can ultimately prevent potential threats to cirrhosis patients.

In this study, 21 cirrhotic patients with end-stage liver disease were randomized to receive a standard liquid meal. Ten patients received a liquid meal containing dark chocolate (contains 85% cocoa, 0.55 grams of dark chocolate per 1 kg of body weight), and 11 patients received a liquid meal containing white chocolate, which is devoid of cocoa flavonoids (which have antioxidant or antioxidant properties) in depending on body weight. Liver blood pressure, blood pressure, and portal flow were measured before and 30 minutes after meals.

Both meals produced highly significant but similar increases in portal blood flow: a 24% increase from dark chocolate and 34% from white chocolate. Interestingly, after eating, the increase in blood flow to tissues was accompanied by an increase in liver pressure leading to a statistically significant increase (17.3 ± 19.1 to 3.6mmHg ± 2.6mmHg, p = 0.07) for those patients who ate dark chocolate and those who those receiving white chocolate (16.0 ± 19.7 to 4.7mmHg ± 4.1mmHg, p = 0.003). The postprandial increase in liver pressure was markedly reduced in patients receiving dark chocolate (10.3 ± 16.3% vs. 26.3 ± 12.7%, p = 0.02).

Instructions

The liver is the body’s natural filter, which actively works around the clock to preserve human health as much as possible. However, sometimes the organ becomes ill: it is affected by infections (this is how hepatitis occurs) or poor nutrition and inattention. To ease the course of the disease, avoid foods that are harmful for liver diseases.

Fatty foods are very dangerous for liver diseases. First of all, give up butter and lard. Also remove fatty meats from your diet: lamb, pork, duck and goose. These products should not be consumed in any form: even derivatives from them, for example, broths, are dangerous for the diseased organ.

Remember that the more fat and sugar a food contains, the more stress the liver experiences. Various desserts and sweets can significantly aggravate the course of the disease. Therefore, forget about chocolate, sweets, cream cakes, ice cream, butter cookies, etc. As for soft drinks, doctors advise avoiding cocoa, full-fat milk, and soda.

Many natural herbal products should also be excluded for liver diseases. These include garlic, radishes, wild garlic, radish, and cilantro. Be sure to remove fresh sour foods from the menu, such as cranberries, sorrel, kiwi, etc. If you have liver ailments, avoid pickles, any pickled foods and seasonings. Of the latter, spicy ones are especially dangerous: horseradish, ketchup, mustard, vinegar.

Liver disease puts a veto on many drinks. First of all, forget about alcohol. Vodka, cognac, whiskey, liqueurs, brandy are real poison for a diseased organ. Also, doctors do not recommend drinking strong tea or coffee.

If you have liver disease, pay attention not only to harmful foods, but also to the way you prepare food. Acute attacks can easily be provoked by fried and smoked foods. Stewed foods are also dangerous if oil was used during cooking. The best option is boiling, baking or cooking in a double boiler.

The right foods will help ease the course of the disease. The basis of the menu should be cottage cheese, porridge with water, kefir, natural yoghurts, seaweed, and dried fruits. You can eat eggs as protein foods. Seafood and lean fish are also allowed. For drinks, take special mineral water, lightly brewed black and green tea, infusions and compotes, vegetable/fruit juices. Remember that all foods consumed should not contain refined sugar.

The liver is a very hardy and important organ of the human body, representing a kind of filter. It retains and neutralizes toxins, removing them from the body, and the liver also gives the body energy, is responsible for hormonal balance, and the absorption of minerals and vitamins. To maintain normal liver function, you need to eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle. To maintain health, you need to know what factors negatively affect the liver?

Foods that damage the liver

Everyone who values ​​their health should know about foods that are harmful to the liver. There are three groups that are dangerous to the health of this organ and the body as a whole:

• fried food;
• fat;
• flour

Eating fatty foods in large quantities puts a strain on the liver and stomach, so do not overindulge. This applies to animal and vegetable fats contained in meat, semi-finished products, cakes and pastries, broths and dough products. Try to minimize your consumption of fried foods in favor of boiled or baked foods. Frying is a heat treatment that releases dangerous toxins that destroy tissue and cause serious liver damage.

In small quantities, harmful fried foods may not cause illness, but if you constantly eat chips and french fries, problems cannot be avoided. To prepare them, the temperature of the raw material rises sharply, which stimulates the release of dangerous toxins. The liver is forced to retain them, which gradually leads to the development of diseases. Repeated use of vegetable oil when frying is highly undesirable.

To avoid liver diseases, eliminate or minimize harmful foods with easily digestible carbohydrates in your diet. White bread, breakfast cereals, white rice are all fast carbohydrates that stimulate the accumulation of excess fat in the liver. Excessive consumption of sausages and smoked meats is another cause of liver cirrhosis, since these products contain a lot of fats, artificial additives, dyes, flavor enhancers and carcinogens.

It is noteworthy that even some vegetables and fruits can harm the liver, and many do not even suspect it. They are safe in small quantities, and abuse will not go unnoticed. So, the liver and in addition the pancreas can be damaged by excessive consumption:

• garlic, radish, radish, wild garlic and other vegetables with a pungent odor;
• sour types of fruits, including lemon, dogwood, kiwi, cranberry;
• spicy food, seasonings;
• Even coffee is harmful if you drink it often and without milk;
• ginger will be harmful if consumed in excessive quantities;
• seeds;
• chocolate.

People who consume all these foods in normal quantities and not constantly do not have liver problems, so don’t worry ahead of time. Athletes often wonder if eggs are harmful to the liver? Yolks contain a lot of fat, so you need to be careful with them and eat no more than 2-3 pieces per day.

You may also be surprised, but tomatoes are also harmful to the liver and can cause gallbladder disorders if you eat tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in large quantities. The liver can be damaged by ginger and green tea, so do not overdose on these drinks, even though they are non-alcoholic.

Alcohol and liver health

Alcoholic drinks can also cause liver diseases - its functions are first slightly impaired, then it stops coping with basic tasks. As a result of serious alcohol addiction, liver diseases become common companions of people - any doctor will tell you this.

When drinking alcohol, the condition of the internal organ gradually worsens, and only with the development of acute liver failure does a person see a doctor with the following symptoms:

• yellowing of the whites of the eyes;
• clearly enlarged belly;
• nosebleeds for no reason.

These are signs of the onset of cirrhosis due to irreversible damage to liver cells. But which alcoholic drinks are most harmful to the liver? Their list is quite extensive, and even low-alcohol drinks such as beer and wine have a negative impact. Even kvass is harmful to the liver when consumed in large quantities. As for non-alcoholic beer, its harm is indirect - if you drink 1-2 cans at a time, nothing bad will happen, but abuse of the drink can lead to poor health.

Diseases and other disorders

The liver is a renewable organ, but some diseases cause irreversible processes. For example, if viruses are detected in the blood or a person is overcome by hepatitis of any form, intoxication of an internal organ may not be far off. It is noteworthy that in most cases it is possible to prevent the development of diseases by observing basic hygiene rules.

Excess weight is also harmful to the liver. People suffering from this disorder may have a large belly and steatosis. The reason is the uneven distribution of fat on the body, which may be contained in the tissues of the internal organ - the liver.

Obesity and type II diabetes are diseases that can significantly increase the risk of liver dysfunction. In these cases it is recommended.

Effect of drugs on the liver

If taken uncontrolled, medications can quickly destroy the liver with a certain harmful substance. Thus, do not self-medicate or carefully study the instructions for the medicine you buy. All medications pass through the liver, clogging microscopic vessels.

If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, make sure it will help you. Some doctors thoughtlessly prescribe medications to patients to which viruses are not at all sensitive, so do not rush to poison the body and damage the liver with medications.

There are also statin drugs that destroy the liver, according to some people. In fact, they are designed to reduce the production of harmful fat fractions. If the drug is of high quality, it will not harm the liver, but will help it cope with fats in the body. Some of the more common medications that damage the liver include:

• Paracetamol;
• Aspirin;
• oral contraceptives;
• antifungal drugs;
• Ibuprofen, Nimesulide and other anti-inflammatory drugs;
• antiarrhythmic drugs.

All of them have negative effects on the liver if overused, so be careful.

Harm from toxins to the liver

When functioning normally, the liver breaks down red blood cells, filters blood, and removes toxins from the body. It is noteworthy that the internal organ may suffer from these same toxins if they enter the body in excessive quantities. They are found in alcohol, drugs, tobacco smoke and many chemicals that we inhale (paints, varnishes, exhaust fumes, etc.). Even passive smoking harms the liver, not to mention regularly smoking several cigarettes a day.

Poor ecology causes severe damage to the human liver. There are a lot of heavy gases, toxic substances and multiple chemical compounds in the air. All of them are neutralized by the liver, but the organ sometimes cannot cope and begins to collapse.

Other causes of liver destruction

Does radiation therapy harm the liver and what other factors can negatively affect it? Oddly enough, negative emotions and anger have a destructive effect on the internal organ. Fear, anger and depression interfere with normal detoxification. Smoking to calm down only aggravates the situation - cigarettes are also harmful to the liver.

The liver does not like extremely high temperatures. Overheating in the sun or in a bath dulls the production of peptides - hormones important for the functioning of the body. For this reason, appetite decreases in hot weather, so try not to overheat.

Fasting and overeating destroy the liver, and you should be aware of this. The diet should be complete, and we discussed above what food damages the cells of the internal organ. As for radiation therapy, it affects not only the liver, but also other internal organs, but the liver recovers quite quickly after this, so this is not the biggest problem.

It turns out that to maintain liver health, you need to remember what destroys it, and try to lead a generally healthy lifestyle, exercise and eat right. Also be sure to eliminate bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking.