[information taken from: ]
I feel that this information is more reliable as it was taken from a BBC website which is in my opinion respectable, plus the research was done by the scientists from University Hospital, with the use of professional methods and equipment. Another factor which makes this information convincing is that the results of this experiment were published in Heart (professional magazine)
In another test the researchers compared the effects of dark (74% cocoa solids) and white chocolate on the smoothness of blood flow in the arteries of 20 male smokers. Before eating 40g of chocolate, smokers were asked to abstain from other foods rich in beneficial antioxidants, such as onions, apples, cabbage, and cocoa products for 24 hours. After two hours, ultrasound scans revealed that dark chocolate significantly improved the smoothness of arterial flow - an effect which lasted for eight hours. Blood sample analysis also showed that dark chocolate almost halved platelet activity. Antioxidant levels rose sharply after two hours. Research published last year by the University of California found antioxidant-rich flavonoids in chocolate helped the blood vessels expand.
I think that this information are reliable because the experiment has been carried out on large number of people and while making the conclusion many different aspects of participants’ lives and health condition were taken into account. Also the reasons why these results might not be confirmed in some cases were explained in details. I decided to use this source of information as it seemed reliable and all theories were well documented
Another study confirmed that a substance in cocoa helps the body to process nitric oxide (NO), a compound essential for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Another study showed that flavonols in cocoa prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, and make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause clots. Flavonoids are a plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties which Cocoa beans contain in large quantities. Also chocolate is believed to produce serotonin (the feel good hormone) in your brain which can act as a pain killer.
I think that this source of information is also really good as it explains the scientific aspects of the experiment in details using very simple language, so everyone can understand exactly what has been done. I also feel that this information and explanations are interesting and important to people who do not understand when the aspects of an experiment or a conclusion are not explained properly.
There is also another recent eye-opening study, conducted by German researchers, which shows that women who drank a half-cup of enriched cocoa every day for three months developed skin that was smoother and had more moisture. Furthermore, the women's skin was less scaly and red after exposure to ultraviolet light.
"It is surprising, especially after all those stories about chocolate making you break out," says Largeman-Roth. "It turns out that the flavonoids in chocolate help protect the skin and increase blood flow, which makes it look more refreshed and healthy”.
[Some information taken from news on 19 February.]
I felt like this was an interesting fact to notice as many people believe that chocolate can make your skin bad. The statement of Largeman-Roth has explained why chocolate can have positive effect on our skin together with other factors contributing to skin problems, which makes this theory more reliable.
An interesting point about chocolate is that it is also very uncommon for allergies and is sometimes made into massage cream. Chocolate has also not been proven to form cavities. Scientists say that the cocoa beans that chocolate contain can actually protect your teeth from rotting. Eating chocolate 3 times a month can actually lengthen your life
It seems that eating chocolate can be tempting and fun way to make your body healthier. To sum up: eating chocolate in the right amounts helps to prevent high blood pressure, increases blood flow; it also prevents fat-like substances from oxidizing and clogging arteries and in consequence protects us from heart diseases and strokes. Chocolate is also believed to improve your skin condition and lengthen your life. In this place I think it is worth mentioning that white chocolate isn’t actually chocolate because it does not contain whole fat cocoa solids and they are sometimes even made with vegetable oil
Chocolate is bad for you
Even knowing that chocolate is tasty and for many of us is a really nice and comforting treat, it has been proven that it is not good for you. Chocolate causes people to get hypoactive because of the amount of sugar added into the mixture. Another bad thing is that chocolate is highly addictive. A recent research has said that chocolate has similar to marijuana effect on people which makes them taking one square and then immediately longing for another one. Moreover, chocolate can cause headaches in migraine sufferers and eaten in larger amounts can also contradict to weight increase.
[Information from: ]
I am not sure if this information is very reliable as the theory has not been documented by any data or description of the research and the way the experiment has been carried out is not explained. All these factors make this piece of evidence not a very reliable one.
It is also believed that chocolate eaten in great amounts can make your bones get less dense.Recent research by: whether calcium supplements might prevent the loss of minerals from the bones of older women, which leads to weakness and risk of fractures. As part of their study on about 1,000 randomly selected elderly women, these scientists examined the effects of diet. One of the foods they studied was chocolate, both as a solid and as cocoa. Given chocolate's flavonoids, they expected that it would improve calcium absorption into bone, which they measured using the standard method: densitometry.
Their findings are as follows: To the great surprise of the researchers, the women who ate a lot of chocolate—on average, more than one portion a day (a cup of cocoa, or a bar of chocolate)—had lower bone density five years after the experiment began than the women who did not (The picture of low density bone above) The chocolate-eaters and -drinkers were also, unexpectedly, more energetic and leaner. The authors speculate that the lower bone density may be due to another natural ingredient in chocolate: oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can bind the calcium from our diet (from leafy green vegetables and dairy products) and block its absorption, so its presence in chocolate might prevent some calcium from ever reaching the bones. But, as always, we need to keep in mind that association doesn't necessarily imply causation. It may be that some factors, other than chocolate, control the intake and absorption of calcium.
[Information comes from: ]
I consider these information and theory reliable because the experiment that has been carried out is well explained and seems to be a fair one. The amount of older women that took part in this experiment and the space of time ensures us that the data collected is reliable. Scientists in making this conclusion had taken under account many aspects and factors that might have affected the results, which makes the conclusion stronger. I decided to use this information as for me it seems really well explained and this experiment was carried out on a large number of women with use of scientific methods.
Chocolate is particularly dangerous for people suffering from diabetes because it raises your sugar level really quickly what for the sufferers eating chocolate might proof fatal. Chocolate would also contribute to painfull constipations,which is not a good news for people who have troubles with their digestive system.Chocolate will aslo decrease your apetite so you will feel less need for something more nutriotional. At this point I have to add that chocolate fills you up, but does not give you any proteins or vitamins. So you feel full, but you don’t revieve any benefits from it.
Together with all harmfull effects that chcolate has on your body there is also financial factor linked to chocolate. As Dr Sarah Brewer says “Eating chocolate every day will undoubtedly increase your shopping bill” especially when you opt for healthier more expensive brands. The BMJ researchers estimated that would cost £3 per week or more if you buy premium brands
Dr Sarah Brewer also points out that sweetened chocolate contains lots of sugar contributing to glucose swings which, as well as encouraging you to eat more, are increasingly linked to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is another reason why dark chocolate, which contains the least sugar, is better for you than milk and white chocolate. Low carbohydrate chocolate, containing sweeteners such as multirole, which do not affect blood glucose levels, are also becoming more widely available.
I think that this theory is reliable as it was investigated by Sarah Brewer who had graduated as a doctor from Cambridge University in 1983. She was a full-time GP for five years and now works in hospital medicine. She is the author of 40 books and writes widely on all aspects of health including complementary medicine.
However many people still say that chocolate is good for you, what you have to remember is that not all chocolate is equally good. Most candy bars and chocolate foods, commonly found in grocery stores, are not what you should look for. These are typically high in refined (white) sugar, milk fats, and hydrogenated oils—ingredients that replace the truly healthful nutrients found in cocoa. These candy bars and chocolate foods that are common in many shops are containing products that are unhealthy and can lead to problems such as diabetes.
Conclusion
During this research I had found many interesting and eye-opening information about chocolate. After analysing all the information I had gathered I believe that chocolate can actually really beneficial if eaten wisely. As with everything, chocolate in large amounts won’t be beneficial. In large amounts, chocolate will add to your weight increase and if you are already overweight it will only make the problem worse. However in right amounts chocolate will make your skin look smoother, and make you feel happier. The bigger benefits of this sweet treat are of course heart disease prevention and the smoothing blood flow in arteries. However what I get worried about when reading all this new discoveries, is that now people will start to buy a lot of chocolate and eat massive amounts of it, thinking that through lot of chocolate they will make themselves healthier, when actually it will be the complete opposite.
I have to confess that on this subject I agree with Dr. Sarah Brewer who says that
all in all, it seems that, as part of a balanced diet, we might all benefit from eating 100g chocolate per day - but make sure it is dark and expensive! There are couple of ways in which you can ensure that chocolate is beneficial for you:
- Eat it after a meal when you are full and less likely to over-indulge.
- Eating chocolate after a meal means you can clean teeth and floss soon afterwards - perhaps with chocolate flavoured toothpaste to prolong the pleasure!
- Buy small-sized bars, not family-sized slabs.
- Eat with fresh fruit - the renewed craze for chocolate fondues makes this simplicity itself.
- Let chocolate rest in your mouth for long enough to melt and coat your taste buds and the roof of your mouth to experience the full range of flavours and textures. This will prevent you from wanting more chocolate right after swallowing the first piece.
- Learn to savour the lingering memory of each bite before immediately devouring the next.
Bibliography
