#FitnessFacts: CHOCOLATE

-Excessive consumption of Chocolate can definitely be counter productive to a healthy lifestyle, but when added to a diet in small amounts it can provide benefits to both health & fitness!

-Some of the largest benefits from chocolate comes from it's primary ingredient cocoa, so the more cocoa in the chocolate the more beneficial it can be. Out of the main 3 types of chocolate (dark, milk, & white), dark chocolate contains the most cocoa.

-Chocolate contains notable amounts of Potassium, Iron, & Magnesium, which help with muscle function and prevent cramping.

-Chocolate contains the flavonoid Epicatechin, which binds to muscle receptors and may help them resist fatigue.

-Chocolate can decrease levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterols (HDL), as well as decrease blood sugar levels.

-Chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function and muscle memory.

-Eating a small amount of chocolate 2-3x/week can help lower your blood pressure, as well as help prevent the formation of blood clots, stroke, and arteriosclerosis.

-Dark chocolate contains caffeine! A 1.5 ounce bar contains about 27 mg.

-To add healthy doses of chocolate into your diet, you can add chocolate chips to trail mixes, or add a few scoops of cocoa to your protein or meal replacement shakes to increase the flavor and health value!