For a long time, chocolate was considered a guilty pleasure and despite the delicious taste people primarily thought of calories when thinking about chocolate. However, this is only one side of the coin. Research indicates that that there is also a variety of benefits that go along with chocolate. Amongst others, it helps to keeps your blood flowing, lower your blood pressure, and keeps your heart healthy.

The sweet taste of chocolate does not only remind you of childhood memories but also lets you stay young in a different regard: polyphenol, a compound found in chocolate, has been known to restrain free radicals. These are considered a major reason for cell aging and are also seen as a cause for cancer. Dark chocolate contains about eight times the polyphenols antioxidants found in strawberries!

Chocolate also contains theobromine and caffeine which increases your concentration and response capacity. According to scientists from the University of Bristol, 50 grams a day are enough to trigger these benefits. Their colleagues from Finland go one step further and claim that chocolate even has a positive influence on unborn children. Their research shows that daily consumption of chocolate during pregnancy may make for livelier and happier babies.

Moreover, chocolate raises your spirit. It triggers the production of serotonin in your brain which causes a general feeling of happiness. Other ingredients like magnesium and potassium are known for relieving and reducing stress and therefore help to add to your happiness.

Last, but not least, dark chocolate contains especially high quantities of flavanoids, a substance that may affect the relaxation capabilities of blood vessels and lowers high blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels. It therefore helps keep your cardiovascular system and heart run well.

Fortunately, these benefits are not only found in chocolate but also in a lot of fruits and nuts. Even better that you can now combine these benefits and enjoy your perfect chocolate bar without feeling bad about it!

Dear Fans,

Please use this space to follow our progress but also to write comments, suggestions, ideas, or anything else you want. We here at Chocomize are all about choice, and we feel that the direction of our company is largely dependent on what you the consumer want. Have a great idea for a new ingredient? Want to add a new charity? Have questions about chocolate? Write your thoughts and comments here. We can't wait to hear from you!

Eric, Fabian, and Nick