Our approach is very simple. It’s important to live a healthy and active lifestyle, but it’s also nice to enjoy an occasional treat. The important thing is to get the balance right.
You should be able to enjoy chocolate as a treat as part of a balanced diet – so why not take a special five minutes to savour every moment?
Here are 5 reasons why we think chocolate is great:
- Chocolate genuinely has mood enhancing qualities. It contains a chemical which makes the brain produce serotonin which makes you feel happier.
- Taste is one of our five key senses and it’s important that we enjoy what we eat. Chocolate is delicious.
- Chocolate contains chemicals, called flavanols, that have been shown to improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure.*
- Research has shown that physical and emotional enjoyment, even in small doses, can enhance your immune function for hours afterwards.
- Even the British Heart Foundation says everyone can enjoy a chocolate treat from time to time.
*– Keen, C.M. et al, Cocoa antioxidants and cardiovascular health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005. 81: p. 298S-303S
- Heiss, C., et al, Vascular effects of cocoa rich in flavan-3-ols. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2003. 290 (1030-1031)
- Steinberg, F. et al, Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health. Journal of American Dietetic Association, 2003. 103(2): p. 215-23
