Cocoa native to Central America and Mexico was discovered a long time ago, around 3000 years ago. Cocoa has the scientific name of Theobroma cocoa, which means “food of the gods” (food of the gods).
Benefits of cocoa for health
It is the delicious taste and the great health effects of cocoa that from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day, cocoa and chocolate drinks have become a culinary culture in Europe and are spreading more and more. worldwide.
Cocoa has many health effects that many people cannot expect: antidepressant, weight loss, good sleep … Nutrition experts recommend drinking 1 cup of hot cocoa each morning. have 1 day of efficient work and stay healthy.
1. Increase metabolism
Cocoa increases metabolism and allows the body to burn more calories per day. Hence, it helps you to lose weight very effectively.
Dr. Shilpa Mittal, Indian nutritionist, said: “Cocoa is a great ingredient for boosting metabolism. So using dark chocolate for dessert is a great idea. Especially during the winter when the metabolic activity of the body becomes weak, the use of chocolate is highly recommended.
Many studies suggest that cocoa is not only an antidepressant, but also helps with weight loss.
2. Eliminate cravings
The main ingredient in cocoa is theobromine, a substance that makes the body feel full and suppresses cravings.
“The caffeine in cocoa is also effective in reducing appetite. So eating cocoa or dark chocolate means you are fighting your appetite” – stressed Dr Mittal.
3. Stable blood sugar
Cocoa is slowly consumed into the bloodstream and the result of this slow consumption is the production of insulin, a substance capable of stabilizing blood sugar. This shows that cocoa is very good for diabetics.
4. Anti-oxidation
Cocoa contains more antioxidants than red wine or green tea. Antioxidants work to improve your digestive system. If the foods you eat are not digesting and your body tends to build up toxins that slow down your metabolism, you should consider consuming dark chocolate.
5. High nutritional value
In cocoa, there are enough basic nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fat to help provide energy. The fats in cocoa are mainly triglycerides and unsaturated fatty acids, a good fat content in cocoa is equivalent to the monounsaturated fat content in olive oil.
Additionally, cocoa is known for its high soluble fiber content. Two tablespoons of cocoa powder contain up to 3.6 g of fiber. Besides helping to create a feeling of fullness and reduce appetite, fiber also helps you fight constipation extremely well. Not only that, drinking cocoa also means that you are providing a lot of essential minerals, such as manganese, copper, iron, magnesium, … necessary for metabolism and bodybuilding.
6. Beauty skin
The biologically active substances in cocoa are very good for the skin. Flavonoids can protect the skin from sun damage. In addition, cocoa also helps improve blood circulation under the skin, making it look rosier; Increase skin elasticity and hydration, help smooth wrinkles, give you younger and more beautiful skin. Apply pure cocoa mask about 1-2 times a week, you will feel your skin significantly improved after a short time. You can also use cocoa as a substance to help exfoliate and hydrate the skin.
7. Great relaxation aid
The pressure of work, family, society tires you a lot, leading to stress? Do you need to relax? There is nothing better than sipping a hot cup of cocoa, listening to music, forgetting all the problems around you and falling asleep. You will feel more energetic, to face any difficulties in the smoothest way.
Why can cocoa do this ??? Because cocoa helps promote serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is known as a “happy brain” which helps reverse stress.
8. Helps to increase pleasure
Thanks to the amphetamine of cocoa, this substance stimulates the pleasure center in the cerebral cortex, improves the secretion of sex hormones. Instead of taking medication to improve the situation, being tired and expensive can cause side effects, why not try a gentler method? A cup of hot chocolate every day will work hard.
9. Improve blood circulation, stabilize blood pressure, improve heart health
Epicatechin is a flavonoid found in cocoa. Each 100g of pure cocoa powder contains around 196 mg of epicatechin, while unsweetened chocolate only contains around 142 mg and bitter chocolate only contains around 84 mg. Epicatechin relaxes blood vessels, improves blood circulation, thereby helping to stabilize blood pressure. These flavonoids also help prevent blood platelets from fusing together, causing blood clots to form. This is a good thing when it comes to the effects of cocoa.
10. Anti-depression
According to Elson Hass in the book “Healthy Living with Nutrition”, said: “Cocoa powder contains phenethylamine – a neurotransmitter in the brain that acts as a natural indicator of improved mood, increasing the d index. ‘almond. blessed’.
By drinking cocoa every day, you will have a better digestive system thanks to the fibers present in pure cocoa.
11. Effective cough suppressant
The theobromine in cocoa has been shown to suppress coughs better than codeine or commercial cough medications without any side effects.
So, the way for you to get the most out of these natural ingredients might be to mix 1 cup of hot cocoa with a little extra honey to drink, which will help reduce coughing and take care of your throat, especially . cold days
12. Improve the digestive system
By drinking cocoa every day, you will have a better digestive system thanks to the fibers present in pure cocoa, stimulating the digestive enzymes in the body.
A recent study shows that every day you use a little bit of pure cocoa powder twice: 4 weeks in a row, 3 weeks off and 4 more weeks. Your bowel is working very well and if you are constipated it is a very effective remedy for constipation.
13. Improve chronic fatigue syndrome
Researchers from the Hull York School of Medicine have shown that people with chronic fatigue syndrome had significant improvement in symptoms when eating dark chocolate, unlike those who used milk chocolate with a coating. Brown. They speculated that this was due to increased amounts of serotinin, a chemical in the brain, through the polyphenols found in dark chocolate.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome have significantly improved symptoms when eating dark chocolate.
And for added comfort, none of the test participants gained weight during the study. So, if you are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and you know what cocoa is for, remember to add dark chocolate to your daily diet.
14. Protect the liver
An animal study has shown that daily consumption of cocoa can alter fatty liver disease caused by a high fat diet. Fatty liver disease is on the increase due to obesity and in some cases can progress to cirrhosis.
15. Protect brain health
Research just published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports advises people to try drinking a cup of cocoa when they are tired or before taking on a demanding challenge.
Under normal conditions, people who drink cocoa will appear wiser, more alert, and make better decisions than themselves when not drinking cocoa.
“Miracle” is made up of flavanols, groups of antioxidants commonly found in fruits, giving them bright colors. Cocoa is a fruit particularly rich in flavanols that should be selected for research. With the above effects, this drink promises to be an easy way to protect the brain from diseases, especially those related to cognitive decline.
