If you're
looking for a really nice gift for someone who
is hard to buy for. Then you've come to the
right place. At "The Heavenly Chocolate Gift
Shoppe" we offer a great selection of richly
packaged and very tasty gourmet chocolate gifts
for many holiday and special occasions. We also
offer some great gift baskets cookie and candy
bouquets. So come on in and browse about. We
think you'll like what you find. Just click on
the picture links below for more information and
pricing. Thanks for stopping by and please come
again.
Healthy
Dark Chocolate continues to garner front
page status as more and more scientific
research studies on the health benefits
of dark chocolate publish their
findings, and this is great news for
current and potential at risk diabetics.
Chocolate, that universally popular
comfort food, has for years meant only
one thing for diabetics ... risk! For a
diabetic indulging in a chocolate treat,
physiological effects needed to be
monitored and action taken if so
indicated.
For the informed
diabetic, that situation is changing,
and dark chocolate may once again be a
worry free treat as well as an extremely
healthy part of ones daily diet.
Before moving into the clinical aspects
of dark chocolate, let's define what is
"HEALTHY" dark chocolate in relation to
the diabetic.
The raw cocoa bean
is a super rich source of antioxidants;
specifically, a group of antioxidants
known as 'flavanols'. In fact, raw cocoa
contains an astonishing 10% antioxidant
concentration per mass, the highest
concentration level of antioxidants in
any known food.
Flavanols are the
primary reason for cocoa products being
very cardiovascular system friendly. As
is the case with many natural foods, the
antioxidant values of the raw cocoa fall
considerably during the chocolate making
process.
After fermentation and
drying, the cocoa beans, in almost all
cases, are roasted in high heat and
pressure. Just as with most fruits and
vegetables that you are familiar with,
this cooking process destroys many of
the original beneficial nutrients.
The good news is that even after the
antioxidant loss through the roasting
and pressing process, this bitter cocoa
powder STILL has more than twice the
antioxidant rating than the nearest
rated fruit ... "prunes".
The
manufacturer now will add sugar,
emulsifiers, oils, and other ingredients
to create the desired taste and texture
for their product.
So, how does
dark chocolate, rich in flavanols, help
your body do battle against diabetes?
Primarily, these antioxidants counteract
insulin resistance, a serious risk
factor.
Insulin resistance is a
serious condition which can multiply
your chances of developing diabetes and
heart problems. This condition prevents
your cells from effectively turning
blood sugar into energy, so the excess
sugar accumulates in your body. This
condition is known as pre-diabetes.
By introducing a consistent, high
quality source of the flavanols found in
dark chocolate, insulin function is
improved, blood sugar is better
controlled, and the threat of blood
sugar build up and pre-diabetes is
lessened.
These hard working
flavanols provide another very important
benefit for the diabetic. Studies have
shown that they are very effective in
helping to keep blood vessels healthy
and improving blood flow. Circulatory
problems are a very real risk for the
diabetic, and extreme cases can result
in necessary loss of an extremity.
Numerous studies have indicated that
flavanols may exert significant vascular
protection not only from their
antioxidant properties, but also from
increased nitric oxide availability.
Nitric oxide, or "NO", is a critical
component in healthy blood flow and
blood pressure control, two very
important factors in controlling
diabetes. Studies have shown that
antioxidants in cocoa help the body
process NO which helps prevent fatty
substances in the blood from oxidizing
and narrowing the arteries, leading to
high blood pressure, another serious
diabetes risk factor.
In part 2
of "Healthy Dark Chocolate and Your
Diabetic Health", we will look at
several case studies that clearly define
the potential positive impact of healthy
dark chocolate for the current or
pre-diabetic, and explore how to
determine which Chocolate products are
in fact "Healthy".
About the Author
The author lives in beautiful Hilo,
Hawaii, and became intrigued with the
subject of Chocolate being referred to
as "Healthy". For more information
regarding what constitutes "HEALTHY"
Chocolate, download the author's FREE
report,
"Healthy Dark Chocolate For Life"
