I am guessing I am not the only Glib still “making their way” through leftover Halloween candy. Let us make a virtue out of necessity by considering the benefits of chocolate.

 

To keep this upbeat, I am going to glide by all the sugar in commercial chocolate. I’m also going to ignore milk chocolate because it was created by the devil. Instead, I will assume you had the good taste to purchase dark chocolate to pass out to all those cute vagabonds.

 

 

Per Healthline, dark chocolate has a considerable amount of antioxidants. One study showed that cocoa and dark chocolate had more antioxidant activity, polyphenols, and flavanols than any other fruits tested, which included blueberries and acai berries. Suck it, acai bowls.

 

There is some evidence dark chocolate improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. In my head, I hear Q saying that when you present it on Valentine’s Day, it does exactly those things.

 

 

In a controlled study, cocoa powder was found to significantly decrease oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol in men. It also increased HDL and lowered total LDL for those with high cholesterol. In other words, the good news is chocolate can lower your risk factors for heart disease. The flavanols in dark chocolate can also reduce insulin resistance, which is another common risk factor for diseases like heart disease and diabetes. The bad news is chocolate has lots of sugar which has the opposite effect. So better chow down on unsweetened chocolate if you want a positive effect.

 

The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin. The flavanols can protect against sun damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration. This was news to me.

 

 

 

My guilt is partly assuaged. How about yours?

 

This week’s music is dedicated to Pistoffnick. I have a pretty good idea of how you feel. I don’t know your musical tastes so hopefully this will do.