Chocolate for your Heart?

Chocolate is beneficial to your HEART HEALTH in so many ways!

• Chocolate contains FLAVONOIDS, also in green tea, red wine, cranberries, apples, peanuts, onions, and many others
• Chocolate reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke by:
• LOWERING your blood pressure
• Improving blood flow to your heart and BRAIN
• LOWERING cholesterol
• Flavonoids are rich in ANTIOXIDANTS -- antioxidants munch up free radicals -- free radicals are destructive chemicals partly to blame for heart disease and other health problems.
• Chocolate's antioxidant activity helps heart health by decreasing cell damage in the tissues of the heart and arteries, and by preventing LDL oxidation (Oxidation of LDL (lousy) cholesterol often causes a heart attack to occur.)
• Chocolate makes platelets less sticky, thins blood, and reduces likelihood of clotting or clumping (the way ASPIRIN helps your heart!), preventing artery plaque formation

So you see chocolate can really help your heart health! Here are a few tips to be sure you get the benefits described above!:  CHOCOLATE EATING TIPS

For more on the HEALTH and MOOD benefits of chocolate click HERE!

Here are some healthy CHOCOLATE RECIPES!

Chocolatey Oatmeal, 5-minute Brownies, Chocolate Berry Smoothie (add 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa to 3-Ingredient Super Shake), Skinny Mints, or Chocolate Cherry Torte Laraballs!

Or you could try a chocolate PUDDING!

Also, visit www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com for some great treats! You can see some of my favorites HERE!

Happy snacking!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Do you watch Dr Oz?  What's the coolest thing you ever learned on his show?

Top 3 Reasons I HEART Chocolate!

Why is Chocolate SO Crazy Cool?!

1. Chocolate LIFTS OUR MOOD, makes us feel better, makes us HAPPY!!!  

We all knew this right!? -- there are actually several chemicals in chocolate responsible for its remarkable effects on our mood!

1. THEOBROMINE -- releases pleasurable endorphins and potentiates dopamine's action (DOPAMINE is associated with sexual arousal and pleasure) -- response to chocolate is similar to what happens physiologically when people are infatuated or fall in LOVE!
2. It also contains chemicals affect the same pathway (CANNABINOID) that marijuana does -- providing feelings of ELATION and EXHILARATION!
3. It ALSO boosts SEROTONIN levels! PAXIL, ZOLOFT, and PROZAC are all antidepressant drugs that act to raise serotonin levels!

2. Chocolate is Beneficial to Our OVERALL HEALTH, including Cancer Prevention

• Abundance of Antioxidants (from the phytochemicals in chocolate called Flavonoids) -- reduce ongoing cellular and arterial damage from oxidation
• Lower levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP is a marker of inflammation)
• Reduce cellular damage that can spur tumor growth
• Lower blood pressure -- REDUCING RISK for many health problems from diabetes to dementia
• Improved blood flow to the BRAIN -- improves MENTAL FUNCTION!

3. HEART Health -- this is a big one! There are so many ways that cocoa and dark chocolate help you keep a healthy heart, including mega antioxidant activity and lowering your blood pressure! READ on here to find out all about how CHOCOLATE HELPS YOUR HEART!

Anything that can help you be healthier is worth a try right?! And we're talking about CHOCOLATE!!

Now, if you want to get the full benefit, be sure to check out these CHOCOLATE EATING TIPS!

Here are some chocolatey recipes to try!

Chocolatey Oatmeal, 5-minute Brownies, Chocolate Berry Smoothie (add 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa to 3-Ingredient Super Shake), Skinny Mints, or Chocolate Cherry Torte Laraballs!

Also, visit www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com for some great treats! You can see some of my favorites HERE!

Each time you "like" a picture, post, or recipe or my FB page, you help someone else to discover my site and learn from me, so you can help me help another person to become healthier AND happier!  Thanks for sharing!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  What is your favorite form of chocolate?  bars, desserts, dips, any way!, ice cream...