People every where love chocolate of every kind. Not only is it a tasty treat for many, chocolate also boasts certain health benefits when consumed in moderation. Dark chocolate – the healthiest variety – promotes physical health and even functions as an aid for combatting foul moods and stress.
Chocolate can be used, in appropriate quantities, as one tool for stress reduction. Dark chocolate has been found to improve mood by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.
Darker chocolate has lower quantities of unhealthy ingredients, such as fat and sugar, than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa is the most beneficial variety, and it packs loads of nutritious antioxidants. It even has numerous health-promoting properties that other kinds of chocolate do not contain.
The antioxidants in dark chocolate can also lower blood presure, increase good cholesterol, decrease oxidation of bad cholesterol, which leads to plaque accumulation in the arteries, and promote blood sugar regulation. Dark chocolate can also lengthen the time it takes blood to clot and increase healthy blood flowby making blood vessels more elastic.
Practice moderation with your chocolate consumption. Even if you opt for the healthier dark variety, it doesn’t take much to reap the nutritional benefits. The Clemson University Cooperative Extension recommends a serving size between one-third and three-fourths of an ounce of dark chocolate. Do not replace any needed medication, for diabetes or hypertension, for instance, with dark chocolate. Keep in mind that despite its healthfull benefits, dark chocolate can still contain many calories, saturated fat and sugar.
1. What is the topic?
A. Nutritious antioxidants in chocolate
B. Dark chocolate and its varieties
C. Benefits of chocolate for health
D. Unhealthy ingredients in chocolate
E. Chocolate as medication of diseases
2. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
A. Chcolate reduces stress and improves mood
B. Chocolate has a high level of endorphin
C. Chocolate should be consumed appropriately
D. Chocolate increases serotonin level in the brain
E. Chocolate is a tool for stress reduction
3. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
A. Darker chocolate has no unhealthy ingredients
B. Darker chocolate packs loads of antioxidants
C. Darker chocolate is as healthy as milk chocolate
D. Darker chocolate has a higher level of fat
E. Darker chocolate is the healthiest variety
4. What is it in dark chocolate that lowers blood pressure?
A. endorphin
B. serotonin
C. good cholesterol
D. antioxidants
E. fat and sugar
5. What may lead to accumulation of plaque in arteries?
A. Dark chocolate
B. Antioxidants
C. Blood pressure
D. Good cholesterol
E. Bad cholesterol
6. Which dark chocolate is the best?
A. that which contains 70 percent cocoa
B. that which contains good cholesterol
C. that which contains healthy ingredients
D. that which contains loads of serotonin
E. that which has lower level of sugar
7. Despite the fact that it offers benefits, dark chocolate … .
A. should be consumed in moderate amount
B. contains lower healthy ingredients
C. may increase blood pressure
D. allows blood to clot faster
E. leads to plaque accumulation
8. Consuming too much dark chocolate is not healthy because it contains … .
A. milk
B. sugar
C. serotonin
D. antioxidant
E. cholesterol
