Some people say that chocolate is good to our health. However, some other people say it is not. After reading the reasons for eating delicious chocolate from Hollandwood Chocolate, I can have more reasons to support my eating chocolate. You can click on this link to free sample of Hollandwood Chocolate to check out their chocolate. This is the excerpt for reasons of eating chocolate in their website:

22 Reasons to eat chocolate

1. MORE NUTRITIOUS
Unprocessed dark chocolate standardized for potency and purity is an excellent replacement for other candies (including white and milk chocolate).

2. CONTAIN FIBER
Both chocolate and acai contain fiber, which aids the body’s digestive system, carrying proper nutrients and eliminating wastes. Also, healthy chocolate has no trans-fatty acids.

3. BALANCES CHOLESTEROL
Quality dark choclate may help balance good and bad cholesterol. These “nuggets” of health have no cholesterol.

4. MAY AID WEIGHT LOSS
A recent study from Japanese researchers found that cocoa consumption may prevent weight gain through several mechanisms, including gene regulation. Cocoa’s potential mood-elevating chemicals may also help people feel more energy and want to exercise more, which will also contribute to weight loss.

5. SCAVENGES FREE RADICALS
Cocoa is literally teeming with antioxidant compounds. Acai and blueberries provide strong antioxidant support as well. Free radicals, also known as oxidants, are unbalanced atoms or molecules that are missing electrons. They go on a rampage and destroy anything they touch. Phytonutrients like flavonoids found in acai neutralize free radicals. They aid the body in millions of ways.

7. MAY REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE
In a recent study, participants enjoyed a twelve-point reduction in systolic (top) blood pressure.

8. LOWERS BAD CHOLESTEROL
The study also showed an average 13% drop on levels of LDL (bad) cholestrol.

9.SUPPORTS VASCULAR SYSTEM
Dark chocolate improved the health of blood vessels in study participants by making arteries more relaxed and responsive.

10. IMPROVES INSULIN LEVELS
The measurement of sensitivity (predisposition to diabetes) was also improved in patients.

11. SUPPLIES THE BODY WITH CRUCIAL MINERALS
Magnesium is essential in over 300 biological reactions in the body, and important for energy production. Heart, nerves, muscle functions, bone health, and blood clotting are dependent upon adequate magesium. A high magnesium intake is shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

12. CHOCK-FULL OF ANTIOXIDANTS
Chocolate, acai berry and blueberry are loaded with antioxidants. A nugget or square has an impressive ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)reading of 3,120. Acai contains 25 times the antioxidants of grapes.

13. REPAIRS AND RESTORES OTHER ANTIOXIDANTS
Many antioxidants become weakened or are destroyed, but powerful antioxidants found in dark chocolate repair and strenghen the antioxidant network. In order for an antioxidant to be considered “powerful” or”super” they must meet the following criteria: (1)stop oxidative chain reactions-even in small dosages; (2)Repair other weakened antioxidants: and (3) restore these antioxidants without becoming weakened themselves.

14. FIGHTS PATHOGENS
As pathogens, antigens, mutagens and carcinogens enter the body or are created by the body’s own metabolism, they wreak havoc on cell membranes and mitchondrial DNA, which is 15 times more susceptible to DNA damage than the nucleus DNA. The phytonutrients in cocoa and acai fight back, slowing down or eliminating oxidative stress.

15. RICH IN POLYPHENOLS
Both cocoa and acai berries are very rich in polyphenols-a broad group of plant nutrients that act as antioxidants, relieve inflammation, protect against radiation, and perform many other helpful duties.

16. CLEANSES AND DETOXIFIES
Both cocoa and the acai berry have enjoyed centuries of use as a food staple and in folk medicine to cleanse and detoxify the body.

17. PROTECTS THE BODY’S 75 TRILLION CELLS
The various phytochemicals in cocoa and acai can protect the body’s cells in many ways. For instance, research suggests that these phytochemicals may be able to normalize the health of endothelial cells, thereby reducing the risk of different forms of cardiovascular disease. Other studies show a potential ability of these phytochmicals to inhibit the carcinogenic activity of cells. Because most disease originates at a cellular lever, it is vital to protect the health of and optimize the function of the body’s many cells.

18. FIGHTS INFLAMMATION
The powerful polyphenol nutrients in cocoa and acai (including catechins, proanthocyandidins and vitamins C and E) are known to be able to inhibit different inflammatory mechanisms. This is important because a growing body of research shows that chronic inflammmation is strongly linked to various conditions ranging from cancer and cardiovascular disease to diabetes and dementia.

19. SUPPORTS MENTAL FUNCTION
A long list of diseases are now associated with free radicals, none more insidious than neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Good cells die from lack of proper nutrition. Cells mutate from free radical attacks. Several studies have shown that cocoa may help protect the brain and improve cognitive function.

20. PROVIDES OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Omega-3 fats belong to a class of nutrients called essential fatty acids. We know that most Americans are severely lacking in omega-3’s, and increasing rates of various conditions could be a result of this deficiency. Studies suggest that essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids can help improve brain function,protect against inflammation, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and promote immune function.

21. PROTECTS THE HEART
Many of the phytoceuticals in cocoa and acai support the heart muscles, strengthen blood vessel walls, and may inhibit atherosclerosis, thereby reducing the risk of edema, stroke, and heart failure. These polyphenols can help clear the arteries.

22. BOOSTS SENSE OF WELL-BEING
Various chemicals found in cocoa create a sense of happiness and well-being. Theobromine and anandamide are two chemicals that contribute to enhanced mood. PEA also contributes to a feeling of euphoria, and possibly even acts as an aphrodisiac. Some research suggests that cocoa consumption can increase dopamine and serontonin activity in the brain.

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Recently, I have met some friends who have not seen me for more than 10 years. When we met, they said that I looked the same as I was 10 years ago and kept on asking me how I could keep myself young.

After meeting my old friends, I looked at a mirror and compared my look with a picture taken 10 years ago. I also agreed that I looked the same as I was 10 years ago. Then I searched for foods that could keep us young from the Internet.

From this search, I found an article listing seven foods to keep us young. They are the followings:

• Olive oil
  I have never included it in my meal before. Now, I know it is so good and have bought it to give it a try. Hopefully, I will look 20 years younger.
• Yogurt
  I eat it often because it is rich in calcium and tastes good. I will eat more often from now on.
• Fish
  It is always my favorite food. I eat all parts of it including the fish head. So, fish must have helped me to stay young!
• Chocolate
  I doubt chocolate can keep us young because if you take a look at the nutrition facts about a chocolate bar, you are likely to find that it has saturated and trans fat which are bad to our health.
• Nuts
  I don’t eat nuts by themselves often. However, I love eating whole grain bread (with nuts) and eat it at least twice a day. So, nuts must also be a food to make me look young.
• Wine
  I have heard that drinking a small amount of red wine every day was very good to our body. I will definitely give it a try.
• Blueberries
  I love blueberries and eat them very often. No wonder I look 10 years younger!

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I used to get a cold very often. Also, when I saw people having a cold, I would stay away from them in order to prevent getting it.

Now, I am strong and have never got a cold for more than five years. When I see sick people, I will not stay away from them. Instead, I will approach them and tell them how I have never got a cold for so many years.

The way to prevent getting a cold is very simple. We simply need to drink a glass of lemonade every day. In fact, we benefit from not only getting rid of a cold, but also having a strong immune system because lemon is an excellent source of vitamin C.

I found what WHFoods said about lemon very useful:

In addition to their unique phytonutrient properties, lemons and limes are an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Vitamin C is one of the main antioxidants found in food and the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C travels through the body neutralizing any free radicals with which it comes into contact in the aqueous environments in the body both inside and outside cells. Free radicals can interact with the healthy cells of the body, damaging them and their membranes, and also cause a lot of inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body. This is one of the reasons that vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Since free radicals can damage blood vessels and can change cholesterol to make it more likely to build up in artery walls, vitamin C can be helpful for preventing the development and progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.

Vitamin C is also vital to the function of a strong immune system. The immune system’s main goal is to protect you from illness, so a little extra vitamin C may be useful in conditions like colds, flu’s, and recurrent ear infections.

Owing to the multitude of vitamin C’s health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

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