I was recently shopping at a Dollar store in Syracuse when my 7 year old son asked me to please buy him a a Hersey's chocolate bar. There was an old lady nearby who commented "Too much sugar is bad for your kids and so I would not buy him that chocolate bar". I responded I am a physician and I feel a little chocolate is good for my sons health. She blasted me as being an inappropriate physician who should not be mixing in the Syracuse community.
And so of course other people here in Syracuse want to know the truth about chocolate. Shirley Perryman, who is a dietitian, has had an interesting article about this topic published in the Denver Post, "Good news: Chocolate's sweet health benefits", http://bit.ly/fB7kp0. In defense of my position that a little chocolate is good for the health of even my own young son I have decided to syndicate some of the ideas of Perryman about chocolate for the Syracuse community here on Examiner.com.
Perryman has reported that the good news for the health-conscious and chocoholics alike is that chocolate is a healthy choice. And because February is American Heart Month, it's good news to learn that chocolate is a healthy and enjoyable treat for heart health. The research has continued to suggest that chocolate offers health benefits which include improved blood flow, decreased blood pressure and lowered risk of blood clots. Also, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has observed the link between dark chocolate and heart health which has reinforced this good news about chocolate. So those of you who like chocolate here in Syracuse should feel comfortable buying some chocolate for the family now and than.
Perryman has gone on to report on some important points about chocolate. You should be careful about choosing what type of chocolate is best for you. The flavonol content varies according to the form of chocolate. The flavonol content is highest in chocolate with the highest percentages of cacao. And flavonols are associated with a variety of health benefits which include heart health. And natural cocoa, which is also known as "cacao", contains high levels of flavonols and, because it doesn't contain cocoa butter, it offers an optimal low-fat option in cooking and baking. However, when cocoa is alkalized, or Dutched, it lowers the bitterness, darkens the color and also lowers the flavonol.
