The reasons for pampering yourself with a piece of chocolate are abundant: it gives a sense of happiness, relieves cravings for sweets, has a beneficial effect on the body. Even adherents of a healthy diet are not always able to deny themselves this sweetness.
Cocoa seeds from nature have a bitter taste. So what turns chocolate into such an attractive treat? In the process of processing, they are fermented and transformed into known cocoa beans, which are dried, cleaned and roasted.
Kinds of chocolate
The most common types of chocolate are:
- dark( black) - its taste can vary from bitter to semi-sweet, cocoa predominates, and oils and sugars - at a minimum. This is the most healthy type of product, there are four times more flavonoids in it than in milk;
- milk is the most popular version of the product. There is a lot of sugar in it, there are additives( basic - condensed milk, dried milk, fats), while the amount of lactic mass predominates. Binding with milk in the chocolate, antioxidants become inaccessible for digestion, so waiting for milk chocolate to benefit from the use of black is not worth it;
- white - it does not contain cocoa solids, it consists of sugar, milk and cocoa butter. The product has nothing to boast about - for the body it is only a source of a large number of calories.
As you can see, the most useful delicacy is dark chocolate. It is rich in substances that increase "good" cholesterol, and antioxidants that do not allow oxidative stress to develop.
Useful properties of dark chocolate are not limited to this, the product is able to:
- prevent thrombosis;
- enhance the functionality of the brain;
- improve the condition of the skin;
- reduce the pressure.
In addition, black chocolate is good, it helps to lose weight.
The impact of chocolate on the body
The first 10 minutes
To experience the full range of taste, chocolate( dark) is better to eat slowly, allowing the lobule to dissolve in the mouth, and not immediately chew.
In this case, the hormone dopamine is released in the body, "transmitting" a sense of happiness. The taste of chocolate gives sensual pleasure, comparable to sex. The brain produces endorphins - these same hormones are produced when a person is in a state of love.
Rich in chocolate and tryptophan - an amino acid responsible for the ability to relax, a sense of calm, preparing the body to go to sleep.
At the same time, tryptophan helps the brain produce serotonin, a hormone responsible for mood.
The person is so happy that this feeling wants not only to prolong, but also to strengthen, eating another portion. But chocolate allows you to experience joy as long as you consume it in moderation. Destruction of tiles in one step leads to the fact that this feeling is replaced by a sense of guilt.
After 20 minutes
The sugar level is rising by this time, there is a surge of insulin. The liver tries to work out "sweet blood", and if the product is eaten a lot, it is stored in the form of fat.
Continually abusing sweet, we deprive the liver of the ability to perform its functions, instead the fat deposits are constantly replenished. Developing resistance to insulin, this will inevitably lead to diabetes in the future.
After 40 minutes
The body is still full of energy, not only thanks to sugar, but also caffeine. After 40 minutes the alkaloid is completely absorbed. A person experiences an unprecedented ascent, is ready literally to "turn mountains", there is even some tension.
At the same time, the sugar level begins to decline, again there is a feeling of hunger, and you want to make up your energy reserves with something sweet and caloric.
After an hour
Depending on how much the body is susceptible to caffeine( and which type of chocolate was chosen at the same time), the diuretic properties of the product appear. Usually, urge to urinate occurs after 60 minutes.
It will be appropriate to look for a place where you can lie down - the energy is exhausted and the body desperately signals of fatigue. It can torment migraine, it covers irritability, turning into lethargy.
How to consume chocolate safely
It is preferable to use the product after a meal( you can with fruit, so as not to eat too much).Then the feeling of satiety will not leave for a long time.
When choosing a treat, study the composition, preferring a tile with a minimum of sugar, additives, trans fats, dyes and fragrances. It should not be in the product and hydrogenated fats.
The best choice is black chocolate( from 70% cocoa in the composition).And even in this case, remember the moderation, then the product will only benefit.