Another reason to eat chocolate: it may cure your cough

Another reason to eat chocolate: it may cure your cough

(NaturalNews) Not everyone needs a reason to eat chocolate. But it's
always nice to know there are valid health reasons that support this
pleasure. Even then, it's no excuse to understand which type of
chocolate has the most health benefits value.

A December 2012 UK
study with 300 patients in 13 hospitals used theobromine, extracted from
cacao, to successfully stabilize chronic coughing. The amount used was
1000 mg of theobromine twice daily for two weeks. A dark chocolate candy
bar high in cacao or cocoa contains around 450 mg of theobromine per
ounce. [1]

Since the average dark chocolate bar is three ounces,
it would take slightly over 2/3 of the bar to provide that amount of
theobromine. By the way, the only differences between cacao and cocoa
are the spelling and pronunciation. [2]

Unfortunately, the
coughing symptoms returned for most patients after the theobromine
dosing was stopped. But another study in London, England determined that
theobromine was more efficacious for coughing the codeine, which is
what's normally prescribed for chronic coughing. [3]

That's not all there is to cacao health benefits

Most
candy consumers lean toward the types of chocolate that have less
health benefits with more health hazards. That's the cheap stuff - milk
chocolate heavily sweetened and sold in convenience stores.

The
kind that supports healthy chocolate eating is dark, minimally sweetened
organic chocolate. Your healthy chocolate candy bar of choice should be
no less than bitter-sweet chocolate
without flavorings or fillings, and it should contain at least 70%
cacao or cocoa. If it is raw chocolate, it is all the better.

The
higher the cacao level the better, because it's the cacao beans that
contain the extremely high antioxidant health benefits. As a matter of
fact, the antioxidant level or ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity)
of cacao is at the top of the common food list's ten top ORAC values.

Here's a 2008 US department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society ORAC score list per 100 grams:

1)Raw cocoa powder* 95,500
2) Raw cacao nibs* 62,100
3) Roasted cocoa powder 26,000
4) Organic Goji Berries* 25,300
5) Acai Berries* 18,500
6) Dark Chocolate 13,120
7) Milk Chocolate 6,740
Prunes 5,770
9) Raisins 2,830
10) Blueberries 2,400

As
you can see, the difference between raw cacao and even Goji berries is
phenomenal. Even milk chocolate with all it's pasteurized milk and
abundant sugar has a higher ORAC rating than blueberries. [4]

You can purchase raw cacao nibs or powders online or at good health
food stores. There are different ways to make this bitter food more
palatable, such as grinding to make a cacao liquor or sprinkling into
coffee or onto yummier foods.

Raw cacao appears to provide more
magnesium than any other single food source. Magnesium is called the
master mineral since it's involved with over 300 metabolic functions in
our bodies. Most westerners are magnesium deficient (http://www.naturalnews.com).

Other minerals prominent in raw cacao
nibs or powders are sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and
manganese. There is also a high sulfur content, which helps build tissue
and protect the liver. Cacao contains mono-unsaturated oleic acid,
similar to healthy cold pressed olive oil.

This should debunk
dark chocolate fat fears. But be wary of heavily sweetened chocolates
with commercial milk or confectionery fillers. The amount of caffeine in
cacao is also highly exaggerated. But the theobromine mentioned
earlier, an effective antimicrobial, is somewhat of a stimulant. [5]

Research has established that cacao (without sugar) helps protect against diabetes 2 (http://www.naturalnews.com/021961.html). Extensive research has also established that cacao and dark chocolate promote heart and arterial health. (http://www.naturalnews.com).

So enjoy cacao nibs on deserts or in beverages, or have some strong dark chocolate with green tea for delicious health benefits.

Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/038721_chocolate_cough_cacao.html