Here at White Rabbit Chocolatiers in Beverley we hardly need convincing to indulge in our award-winning artisan chocolate; after all, our expertly crafted range is famous across the country! But did you know there are actually a whole host of health benefits that come with tucking into your favourite sweet treat?
1. Chocolate improves circulation
Cocoa is made up of lots of compounds called polyphenols, which help our bodies fight off inflammation. Not only that, but studies suggest that munching on dark chocolate made up of at least 85 per cent cocoa also helps to improve blood flow and vascular health, reducing your risk of stroke and heart attacks (Kwok, et al, 2014).
2. It could make you live longer
Selenium, potassium and zinc are just a few of the important minerals dark chocolate can provide, and it’s estimated that around 100g of dark chocolate can provide almost 70 per cent of your recommended daily allowance of iron. It also contains a compound called resveratrol which is a wonderful nutrient that’s found in raw cocoa beans. It works hard to neutralise free radicals that can often damage the cells in the body. Result? A longer (and tastier!) life for you. And the best bit? This miracle mineral is also found in red wine! As expert chocolatiers we couldn’t think of a better excuse to pour ourselves a glass with our evening chocolate treat (Torres-Pérez, et al, 2015).
3. Chocolate makes you feel good
Okay so maybe you already knew that, but bear with us on this one. The phenyl ethylamine (PEA) – try pronouncing that after a glass of red wine! - found in chocolate is actually the same chemical our brains release when we feel as though we’re falling in love (Irsfeld, Spadafore & Pruess, 2013). How lovely is that? We definitely don’t need any more convincing to grab a bar of our beautifully blended chocolate now!
Still need convincing of a reason to pick up a bar? Pop by our store on Dyer Lane in Beverley to sample our speciality chocolate, handcrafted by our expert chocolatiers. You’ll find a huge selection of delicious treats from bars to boxes, novelties to figures.
Please remember that chocolate is best enjoyed as part of a varied and balanced diet!
Can’t get enough? You’ll find even more chocolate chat on our Facebook page too.
Biblography
Kwok, et al, Habitual chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease among healthy men and women, Heart 2015;101:16 1253-1255 doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308347
Torres-Pérez M, Tellez-Ballesteros RI, Ortiz-López L, Ichwan M, Vega-Rivera NM, Castro-García M, et al. (2015) Resveratrol Enhances Neuroplastic Changes, Including Hippocampal Neurogenesis, and Memory in Balb/C Mice at Six Months of Age. PLoS ONE 10(12): e0145687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0145687
Irsfeld M, Spadafore M, Pruess B. Beta-phenylethylamine, a small molecule with a large impact. WebmedCentral BIOCHEMISTRY 2013;4(12):WMC004459 doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2013.004459]