Tag Archive: antioxidants
Health Benefits of Chocolate
August 26, 2011
Gone are the days when chocolate practically screams “unhealthy”. Today, consumption of chocolate in appropriate amounts can actually be beneficial for you, health-wise. And it goes without saying that you should have the right kind of chocolates in hand, not the ones loaded with sugar and other not-so-healthy stuff.
Contrary to popular belief, eating chocolates can possibly improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and the risk of having diabetes. As strange as it may sound, it is true according to Harvard researchers. This study involved a review of 24 studies and 1,106 participants. And the said health benefits are due to the chocolate’s content called flavonoids which are of highest levels in the dark variants. Like I said, the right kind of chocolates, always keep that in mind.
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Chocolate Sunblock
August 19, 2011
Chocolate as a skin care product? Say what? It is being said that ingesting chocolate (not putting on the skin!) does not only satisfy sweet tooth cravings but also protects against sunburn now. Sounds wacky, doesn’t it? Gone are the days when chocolate was generally synonymous to bad skin. Imagine enjoying in this decadent treat and seeing your skin get better than ever!
Chocolate happens to have a significant amount of protective antioxidants known as Polyphenols (also found in coffee and wine) which makes it possible for you to indulge in its skin benefit due to its ability to reduce ongoing cellular damage. This certain compound, according to studies, does not only enrich the skin but it also offers protection from harmful UV light exposure making skin less sensitive to the sun. Polyphenols are said to increase blood flow close to the skin causing all these skin improvements.
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Crio Bru
June 10, 2011
If you've known me for a while you might know that I enjoy a good cup of coffee. While it's not chocolate, it's still a flavor I look forward to.
Well, that all might change a bit. I just learned about Crio Bru. It's a drink that is brewed like coffee, but it is made of 100% cocoa beans. Like coffee, the beans are roasted and ground. You put the grounds in your coffee maker.
And, according to a press release I read, "Crio Bru delivers the same intense, complex flavors of the finest cocoa beans found in artisan dark chocolate."
Mint Chocolate Rooibus
May 23, 2011
Rooibus (Rooibos) tea (pronounced roy-bos) means “red bush” in Afrikaans. Rooibus is herbal, caffeine-free, and contains powerful antioxidants. It is also lower in tannins than green or black tea.
Rooibus is grown only in a small area of South Africa. It is slowly becoming more popular in the U.S. for the health conscious.
I recently bought a specialty Rooibus tea from a company called Christiani-Tea. I chose a flavor infused tea called Chocolate Mint. The ingredients are organic Rooibus, organic cacao nibs, and organic peppermint leaf. Added to those main flavor ingredients are apple and orange peel.
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Chocolate Facial Mask Recipe
February 22, 2011
One day I came home from work to find my daughter putting lemon juice and sugar on her face. “What are you doing?” I asked. “I’m making my own facial scrub,” she answered, “and next, I’m making pore strips out of gelatin and honey.” There goes my grocery budget!
The practice of using food as a beauty treatment is certainly not new. And for my daughter, the interest in making her own natural products from scratch comes partly from being sensitive to harsh, laboratory made chemicals. Plus, it appeals to her creative side!
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Three Healthy Beverages
January 18, 2011
Imagine you dreamed of making a beverage that is packed with antioxidants, containing enough polyphenols to lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, while simultaneously detoxifying your body and boosting your immune system...
Wouldn’t your new creation be the wonder drink of the ages?
Nope… it already exists! In fact, you have three to choose from.
Beverages such as tea, coffee, and low fat chocolate milk can make positive contributions to your nutrition and health.
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Chocolatey Chocolate Tea
January 5, 2011
Tea, like chocolate, is known for its many health benefits such as lowering blood cholesterol levels and providing antioxidant protection against cancer and heart disease. Tea can also boost metabolism which may help control weight.
Americans are drinking more tea. I suspect it started as a result of wanting to consume something healthy, but in the process we have grown to appreciate the aroma and delicate flavors tea has to offer.
Sometimes the bitter, astringent taste of tea is a turn off. The bitterness comes from the antioxidants and flavonols that are so beneficial, so what can we do to soften the bitter while keeping the antioxidants intact?
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Tired Of Eating Chocolate?
August 27, 2010
Is it really possible to get sick of eating chocolate?
According to feedback from participants in a medical research study out of Australia, it is! What, no way! Sure enough, read on...
Heart patients were given 50 grams of 70% chocolate to be consumed daily as medicine during a research study on how the antioxidants in chocolate help control blood pressure.
By the end of the study, many participants said they would rather take a pill containing the antioxidants than eat any more chocolate. About half the people in the study found the chocolate difficult to eat because of the strong flavor and about 20 percent “considered it an unacceptable long-term treatment option” over the concern for the fat and calories from the chocolate.
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Functional Chocolate: Snacking with Benefits
August 24, 2010
Chocolate for chocolate’s sake is just not cutting it anymore with consumers. Apparently we are demanding chocolate with more meaning, purpose, and benefit.
The general term for this type of chocolate is “functional chocolate.” Functional chocolates supply a nutritional benefit and chocolate is a good vehicle for transporting things like vitamins, probiotics, omega-3, and calcium.
In the last couple years, a few companies have introduced functional chocolates and one of them is Maramor Chocolates. You can find some of their products at Walgreen’s and GNC stores across the nation.
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