Eating for beauty doesn’t mean a lifetime sentence of salad (although leafy greens do wonders for your looks!). Indulge in the ultimate treat—chocolate—and reap some pretty major beauty and health rewards while you’re at it.
Chocolate and beauty
The good news is some chocolate can have significant beauty benefits. The not terribly bad news is, the only chocolate that can deliver these benefits is dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content—which doesn’t apply to most treats found in the candy aisle at the grocery store, so choose wisely.
On the heart front, “cocoa contains naturally occurring plant substances called flavonoids that help keep platelets less sticky, decreasing your risk for heart attack or stroke from a clot,” Nutrition Advisor.
-increases blood turnover
-lowers blood pressure
-rich in vitamins
-slows the signs of aging
Physical properties
Cocoa solids can range from a light brown to a deep reddish brown color. The varying color corresponds to the pH value of the cocoa. Safe, acceptable pH for cocoa ranges from 5.4 to 8.1 depending on how processed the cocoa powder is. Cocoa with a pH of 5.4–5.8 are considered natural powders and have a light brown color. Lightly alkalized cocoa solids have a pH of 6.8–7.2 and are a darker brown color. Moderately alkalized cocoa solids have a pH of 7.2–7.5 and have a deep reddish brown color, and heavily alkalized powders with a pH of 7.5–8.1 have dark red and black colors.[2]