Cao Chocolates - Miami Bean To Bar Chocolates Blog

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy?: Dark Chocolate is very healthy! Eat chocolate! Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are: • Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure

Your dog may love the taste of chocolate, but don't let him have any. Chocolate can be dangerous for many animals, but especially dogs, because it contains theobromine, a stimulant naturally occurring in the cacao bean. Consumption of theobromine can lead to toxicity and even death in some animals. Theobromine is chemically similar to caffeine. While safe for humans, other species, such as dogs, lack a specific enzyme and can't metabolize theobromine. Overdoses of theobromine can cause seizures and convulsions. It also may be dangerous for cats to ingest theobromine. However, they are not as much a worry as dogs, who are known for their robust eating habits. Cats are more discriminating in their diets and are unlikely to devour a significant quantity of chocolate. If you suspect your dog has eaten a sizeable amount of chocolate immediately contact your veterinarian. Individual canines vary in their sensitivity to theobromine. Here is an overview of how much choco

By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter In news that's sure to delight chocolate lovers, a Harvard study finds that a couple of squares of dark chocolate a day might reduce the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke, by 52 percent. Unfortunately for chocolate fans, though, the same research also found that chocolate does not appear to have a protective benefit for the most common type of stroke. People who have a stroke have either an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked, either partially or completely. This type of stroke accounts for about 80 percent of all strokes, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds into the brain, make up about 20 percent of all strokes. "There are several possible mechanisms, but the effect of rich cocoa on cardiovascular healt