Yzabelle Bostyn
A LEADING nutritionist has revealed the sweet treat that can help you live to 100.
Everybody wants to lead a full, healthy and happy life, but what if you could achieve this by eating one of the world’s favourite sweet treats?
Good news, as endocrinologist Florence Comite has revealed eating dark chocolate could be the key to a long life.
Comite, who studies which foods can help us reach 100, says the snack is rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that fights cell aging.
She eats the delicious chocolate everyday, backed by numerous studies which show a direct link between cacao and lowered risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
Dark chocolate can help improve blood pressure, blood circulation and the elasticity of blood vessels.
It can also reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol and increase HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol.
However, to achieve this desirable outcome, the chocolate consumed must have a high cacao percentage, ranging from 70-90%.
That’s because this kind hardly contains any sugar or milk.
The brain also benefits from ingesting pure cacao, because the greater blood flow can improve memory and concentration.
That means it’s also a great tool to battle degenerative brain diseases associated with old age.
Dark chocolate can also improve mood as it stimulates the production of endorphins and serotonin.
Finally, the sweet treat also has a high fibre content which can aid digestion, help boost iron and magnesium stores and support the nervous system.
Why does Florence Comite call chocolate with cacao percentage of 70 to 90% ‘sweet’?
May I assume that you have to consume it in large quantities to notice any positive effect on your health? Why should I suffer so many days of bitterness just to become 100 years old?