Dark Chocolate and Cholesterol Blood Levels

Chocolate comes from plants and plants do not produce cholesterol, only animals do. Dark colored plants are known to have many health benefits one of which is flavonoids. Flavonoids act as antioxidants which protect the body by neutralizing free radicals (charged chemicals which are byproducts of body processes). Free radicals roam the bloodstream and when they encounter LDL particles (bad cholesterol), they help to oxidize them. In their oxidized state, LDL particles can more easily burrow into the artery-cell walls and hasten hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).

Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times as much as found in strawberries). It has been shown to reduce LDL levels by as much as 10 percent.

Dark chocolate does contain fats: Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat
that is also found in olive oil. Steari Acid is a saturated fat, but one which research shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol. Palmitic Acid is a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and the heart disease risk. This means that 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Since dark chocolate is high in calories, consumption should be limited to 100 grams a day or about 3.5 ounces. One bar of dark chocolate has about 400 calories, so if you eat ½ a bar a day you must balance your diet by eating less of something else.

Dark chocolate has more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. The latter cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate is 65 percent higher in cocoa content. Note - avoid eating your dark chocolate with milk, because milk can prevent the antioxidants from being absorbed by the body.

Consumption of dark chocolate has been shown to reduce blood levels of LDL cholesterol and increase the levels of HDL cholesterol.

Look for dark chocolate bars with high-cocoa content. Dove dark chocolate is an example, but there are others. High-cocoa content assures that the bar is loaded with a flavonoid called epicatechin which prevents cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduces the risk of blood clots, and slows down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.

Buy dark chocolate with orange peel or nuts in it. Avoid the bars with nougat or caramel, if you eat these you will be losing the benefits you are trying to get from the dark chocolate.

Please remember that dark chocolate is not a substitute for a balanced diet. If eaten it should complement a balanced diet containing fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and meat.

My Links : cheap cookware sets Buy Led Tv, HDTV

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes With A Difference

If you're looking for some delicious yet somewhat different kind of chocolate chip cookie recipes, then you came to the right place. Chocolate chip cookies are probably the best loved of all the cookies. They even put chocolate chip cookie dough in ice cream. There are all kinds of chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip pecan cookies and lots more.

Store bought chocolate chip cookies are good, but nothing beats hot melt in your mouth chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. You can find all kinds of chocolate chip cookie recipes that can satisfy your chocolate chip cookie cravings, but maybe you would a chocolate chip cookie recipe that's a little out of the ordinary. The two chocolate chip cookie recipes I have put here are a bit different then what you would usually see and I think you're going to enjoy them both.

Hawaiian Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This is a chocolate chip cookie with a Hawaiian twist.

Ingredients You Need:

1 cup Shortening (preferably butter flavored variety)

3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Brown sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1/8 tsp Salt

2 cup Quick oats

1 cup Coconut (shredded)

1 cup Macadamia nuts (chopped coarsely)

1 cup Chocolate chips or chunks

How To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating well. Sift together flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix flour mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in oats, coconut, nuts and chips. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on un-greased cookie sheets and flatten with bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned.

Double Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Keep your breath smelling fresh with these great tasting mint chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients You Need:

3/4 cups Margarine

1 1/2 cups Brown sugar firmly packed

2 tbs Water

2 cups Chocolate chips

2 Eggs

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

12 oz Andres mint candy (2 boxes)

How To Prepare:

Melt margarine, add chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and stir until chips are completely melted. Pour into large bowl. Add brown sugar and water and cool slightly. At high speed, beat in eggs one at a time. Reduce to low speed and add dry ingredients. Stir until blended. Chill dough. When ready to bake, line cookie sheets with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into very small balls (about 1/2 teaspoon per ball). Place 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and while cookies are still on pan, place half a candy piece on each cookie. Remove to waxed paper, wait about a minute and swirl the candy pieces across top of cookie.

These two chocolate chip cookie recipes show that you can do different things with this well loved cookie and make it even better.

Visit : cheap cookware sets ou can find adult empire dvd, adult movies,adult dvd,adult blu-ray, and more Casio Watch Straps including watch straps for the Casio Buy Led Tv, HDTV