Chocolate is a girl's best friend

This is February.  The month of flowers and chocolate.
I love roses. I love chocolate. 
Ahh yes, chocolate- a woman's best friend in time of need.
Its our go to remedy.
When you're in a "mood".
Any mood, You're worried, tired, overstressed, embarrassed, euphoric, the list goes on.......... 
What do you need? Chocolate!!
One bite of the rich brown stuff and a dark moment turns to sunshine.

Honesty here... 

Did the kids ever say, "How come you told us we can't have sugar and we found a candy bar in your purse?" Yes, we think to ourselves, it's there for emergencies. When our daughters grow up and have kids of their own they'll understand!
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The effect of chocolate on women is a phenomenon. I often wondered why. (For those of you who by some freak accident of nature don't like chocolate- take your pretzels and go, this is not for you.)

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The problem is..    We feel guilty. 
Why did I eat it? My diet was going great! 
I had apples in the house, why did I reach for chocolate?
The fat, the sugar. the calories!!
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But have no fear, you did the right thing!
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Have you ever heard of an FDA ban on chocolate? NO!

It's even available in sugar free and organic if that's your thing.

As an unrepentant chocoholic, I was out to prove that chocolate is actually good for you!

So.. I did a little research:
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The following are some excerpts from an article, "9 Health Benefits of Chocolate", in Womens Health magazine, February 13, 2013.


"Study after study proves that dark chocolate—sweet, rich, and delicious—is good for more than curing a broken heart.
​The secret behind its powerful punch is cacao, also the source of the sweet's distinct taste. Packed with healthy chemicals like flavonoids and theobromine, this little bean is a disease-killing bullet. "

1. A HEALTHIER HEART
"The latest research backs up claims that chocolate has cardiovascular benefits: In a 9-year Swedish study of more than 31,000 women, those who ate one or two servings of dark chocolate each week cut their risk for heart failure by as much as a third."
"Another big, long-term study in Germany this year found that about a square of dark chocolate a day lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart attack and stroke by 39 percent. Most of the credit goes to flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that increase the flexibility of veins and arteries."

2.HAPPIER KIDS
Women who ate chocolate daily during their pregnancy reported that they were better able to handle stress than mothers-to-be who abstained. Also, a Finnish study found their babies were happier and smiled more. Hmm, so your options are popping a piece of premium chocolate or sticking a pacifier in your screaming baby's mouth?

3.REDUCED STRESS
Swiss scientists found that when very anxious people ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks, their stress hormone levels were significantly reduced and the metabolic effects of stress were partially mitigated.

4.HIGHER INTELLIGENCE
A University of Nottingham researcher found that drinking cocoa rich in flavanols boosts blood flow to key parts of the brain for 2 to 3 hours, which could improve performance and alertness in the short term.
Other researchers from Oxford University and Norway looked at chocolate's long-term effects on the brain by studying the diets of more than 2,000 people over age 70. They found that those who consumed flavanol-rich chocolate, wine, or tea scored significantly higher on cognitive tests than those who didn't. ( Editors note: For those of us who are having senior moments, that's a bonus!)

5.COUGH RELIEF
One study found that chocolate quieted coughs almost as well as codeine, thanks to the theobromine it contains.

If you want more proof, the internet is filled with articles that defend the decadent delight.

But I don't think many women need scientific proof that when we need chocolate, its urgent!

Yes, the true health benefits seem to come from dark chocolate. But for those of us that love the creamy taste of milk chocolate, I'm sure we're getting some of the good stuff too. After all, those flavonoids and theobromine are in the cocoa and the cocoa is in the chocolate and we love it!

So don't look back on that "I can't believe I ate the whole chocolate bar!" moment with remorse and regret.
Embrace it and move on. Your head and heart will thank you. 

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too, especially if the cake is chocolate!!

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