For Your Health

As you must know (there is more and more polyphenol science being conducted), chocolate can be super healthy. We all love that the cocoa in chocolate is full of polyphenols that scavenge the body for free radicals and benefit heart health! But if you think the U.S. and North America are the most chocolate-centric, think again! Currently, Asia Pacific leads the world in consuming so-called ‘functional chocolate:’ i.e. healthier, less sugary chocolate.

What else has cocoa been found to do?

• Lower blood pressure. "The magnitude of the hypotensive effects of cocoa is clinically noteworthy; it is in the range that is usually achieved with monotherapy of beta-blockers or antiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors," wrote the authors in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
• Protect the skin from UV damage. In 2006, German researchers reported that a daily flavanol-rich chocolate drink could thicken skin and reduce reddening by 25 percent.
• Promote brain health and reduce the risk of dementia. Research found that two weeks of consuming flavanol-rich chocolate, providing 900 mg of cocoa flavanols daily, produced significant improvements in the blood flow in the brain, particularly in the middle cerebral artery.

So go forth this Halloween, and enjoy your treats Gnosis-Style! It may just improve your thinking, blood pressure, and skin!!!