Sweet delights!

 

 

 

Sweets are really delightful to my tastebuds. Everytime I see, especially eat chocolate, candies, cakes, gummies and everything that are sweet, what a unexplainable feeling I could not express! Sweets serve as my energizers. They are really eye catchers. Candies, chocolates and everything that are sweet bring me into the clouds (too exag, isn't it?).

Do you know that according to wikipedia, even though chocolate is regularly eaten for pleasure, there are potentially a lot of health effects, both negative and positive. Cocoa or dark chocolate may positively affect the circulatory system.Other possible effects under basic research include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal activities. An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven.

According to research, limited amounts of dark chocolate appear to help prevent heart disease. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Research has shown the polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

On the other hand, the unconstrained consumption of large quantities of any energy-rich food, such as chocolate, without a corresponding increase in activity, is thought to increase the risk of obesity. Raw chocolate is high in cocoa butter, a fat which is removed during chocolate refining, then added back in varying proportions during the manufacturing process. Manufacturers may add other fats, sugars, and milk as well, all of which increase the caloric content of chocolate.

Chocolate absorbs lead from the environment during production, and there is a slight concern of mild lead poisoning for some types of chocolate. The average lead concentration of cocoa beans was a very low ≤ 0.5 ng/g, one of the lowest reported values for a natural food. Lead concentration of chocolate was as high as 70 ng/g for chocolate products and 230 ng/g for manufactured cocoa. 200,000 ng is the WHO tolerable daily limit for lead consumption. Additionally, chocolate is toxic to many animals because of insufficient capacity to metabolize theobromine.

A BBC report indicated that melting chocolate in one's mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended.

In later research, chocolate has been linked with multiple health benefits and liabilities. Research on elderly people showed chocolate might cause osteoporosis. However, more research has shown that it will boost cognitive abilities. Further, dark chocolate and cocoa butter have been linked with multiple positive effects. Scientific evidence has suggested dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and also reduce blood pressure in both overweight and normal adults. Finally, studies have shown dark chocolate can lower cholesterol levels in adults.

In August 2011, Cambridge research published in the British Medical Journal: Eating high levels of chocolate could be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of certain cardiovascular disorders.

Meanwhile, Methods of Healing, cited in its website the top 10 healthiest sweets, and here are the following:

1. Blueberries – Blueberries are naturally sweet, and chock full of vitamins and minerals that you need. Eat these daily if possible.
2. Apples – Apples, like Blueberries, are naturally sweet. You know the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”
3. Sweet Potatoes – Amazingly, although the word ‘sweet’ is in their name, most people don’t consider sweet potatoes as sweets! They do have a sweet flavor to them, and if you add a little honey, you can make them even naturally sweeter.
4. Dark Chocolate – Dark chocolate has numerous health benefits, especially for the heart. It is important to know the difference between dark chocolate and other chocolates, because other chocolates do not have the same health benefits.
5. Protein Bars – While not all protein bars are sweet, some do have sweetness to them. Because they are packed full of protein and vitamins, these are especially healthy sweets.
6. Dried Fruit Snacks – Fruit in just about any form is good for you, and it is naturally sweet. While you must be aware of calorie content, you should indulge in dried fruit snacks often.
7. Sugar Free Candy – While not all sugar free candy is good for you, none of it is bad for you because it contains no sugar. It is important to avoid sugar free snacks that have a lot of additives, however.
8. Sweet Tarts – Sweet tarts actually contain concentrated fruit juice and natural sugars. Many of them don’t contain any added sugars at all, getting their sweetness from the juice concentrates.
9. Sugar Free Hot Chocolate – Hot chocolate is good for you – especially if it is made from dark chocolate. The sugar free type is the healthiest
10. Sugar Free Gelatin – Gelatin that is sugar free usually has a sugar substitute in it, but it also has some level of juice or fruit content as well, which makes it healthy.

For everyone who are delighted to sweets like me, and at the same time, health consciuos person, avoid eating too much of sweets. But if you can't help and refrain from doing so, minimize eating ( I hope you can do so....) As the Filipino saying goes, "Ang lahat ng sobra ay masama".