Radio Naturopath Episode 158: Chocolate, Cocoa and Your Health: How It’s Good For You!

I talked a little about the origins of Valentine’s Day, which aren’t so great. Like, did you know that the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia from February 13-15, during which time the main took goats and sheep and hit women with them? The women would line up for it, because they thought it would help their fertility! And then, the emperor Claudius executed two different dudes named Valentine two different years on February 14. Shakespeare helped to make it more of a romantic holiday. Thank goodness.

So CHOCOLATE. The higher flavanol content, the more antioxdants! Flavanols can protect against cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and improving cardiac function. The antioxidant activity helps them to protect against cancer. They also help to regulate blood sugar, and improve cognition! Chocolate makes you healthy AND smart. But you have to eat the dark kind to get the antoxidant benefit. And if you eat at least 40 g/day (1.4 oz, or 1/2 to slightly more than 1/2 of a 70%+ chocolate bar/day), you can increase your exercise performance!