Consuming dark chocolate can improve several important risk factors for heart disease. It may protect against high cholesterol.
In a small study, eating dark chocolate supplemented with the flavanol lycopene was found to significantly decrease levels of total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides.
Some forms of LDL cholesterol are more likely to oxidize. Which happens if they react with free radicals in your body. Oxidation makes the LDL particle itself reactive and capable of damaging other tissues. Such as the lining of the arteries in your heart UFABET
It makes perfect sense that cocoa lowers oxidation-prone forms of LDL. It contains an abundance of powerful antioxidants that do make it into the bloodstream and protect lipoproteins against oxidative damage .
The flavanols in dark chocolate can also reduce insulin resistance. Which is another common risk factor for diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
However, also contains sugar, which can have the opposite effect.
The compounds in dark chocolate appear to be highly protective against the oxidation of LDL.
In the long term, this should cause much less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, resulting in a lower risk of heart disease.
In fact, research show a fairly drastic improvement.
Over time, a number of studies have shown that. consuming flavanol-rich cocoa or chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health