4 Benefits of Dark Chocolate

The holiday of flowers and chocolate — Valentine’s Day — is nearly here. And you don’t have to feel guilty if you indulge in a gift from a loved one or if you treat yourself with some chocolate. Dark chocolate, particularly, is packed with nutrients that offer health benefits. Here’s a closer look at a few benefits of dark chocolate.

Benefit #1 – Packed with Antioxidants

Dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols, catechins, and flavanols, to name a few antioxidants. Some studies even show that dark chocolate offers more antioxidant activity than berries. Don’t stop eating fruit, but adding a bit of dark chocolate to your life boosts your antioxidant intake.

Benefit #2 – Boosts Cognitive Function

Chocolate has also been linked to improved blood flow to the brain and better cognitive function. It may even work to help reduce age-related cognitive decline. According to studies, having chocolate once a week may be all you need to give your cognitive function a boost.

Benefit #3 – Improve Exercise Performance

Some dark chocolate may even help you perform better when working out. Some studies suggest that a bit of dark chocolate may boost oxygen availability, which can give overall performance a boost. Researchers think it’s the flavanols in dark chocolate that provide that effect.

Benefit #4 – Helps Your Heart

Dark chocolate has been shown to be highly helpful of the heart by reducing factors of many different heart problems. Studies showed that having a serving of dark chocolate five or more times per week offered the best results.

With all these benefits, go ahead and enjoy that Valentine’s Day chocolate. And don’t forget, Prevagen makes a great gift, too. It boosts brain health and improves memory, and that’s a gift that keeps on giving.