We’ve all got guilty pleasures– they probably stemmed from cookie jar-thieving back in the day, but alas, “old habits die hard.” Head’s up though because we’ve listed a few reasons so that you won’t feel too bad about eating that bar of chocolate– or chugging down that beer from last night. Besides, life is all about living it happily and what better way to do it than to eat all our favorites and not have to worry about health issues popping up?
Remember though, that nothing should be taken too excessively. There is health in moderation, and all it takes is a little patience. So read through these chocolate and beer facts before kicking the gear on binge eating:
Benefits of Chocolates: Are Chocolates good for your health?
Bet you’d love to hear that chocolates are actually fruits. But the closest thing it can get to being a fruit is that it’s from a fruit tree. Chocolates are made of seeds– specifically cocoa beans. Now while it may not exactly be your daily dose of fructose, you’d be surprised with these other chocolate facts.
1. Chocolate has antioxidant content. In our body, we produce molecules called free radicals and they cause damaging effects to the body such as illnesses, signs of aging, etc. In order to counter these, we need an intake of antioxidants. Fortunately, chocolates have a sufficient amount of these. But beware because sometimes with other ingredients like sugar, it may lessen the effect.
2. Chocolates are like happy pills. Chocolates have this compound called phenylethylamine. MedicalHunter describes this as a chemical ‘which stimulates the nervous system and triggers the release of pleasurable opium-like compounds known as endorphins.’ In other words, it affects us by making us feel excited and alert. So if you feel a little down, grab a choco snack and see how things turn out after that.
3. Chocolates improve cognitive function. According to an article from Sciencenews.org, a research has proven that with a high dosage of flavanols (found in cocoa extracts), cognitive function of elderly people significantly improves. It also claims that with sufficient dosage, it could even prevent cognitive decline. Not all chocolates have a lot of flavanols in them though as caused by the production itself.
4. Choco for your coughs. If you’re feeling a little sticky and hard-up in breathing, you might wanna chew on some chocolates. Another chemical it contains is something called theobromine– it’s a compound found in cacao plants that are shown to help calm coughs. It acts on the vagus nerve– a nerve on your body that affects your overall health, says Netdoctor.
Benefits of Beer: Is Beer good for your health too?
Now here’s something more people could relate to. It seems that alcohol is something we drink for every emotion– happy, sad, nervous, hungry? For some people, they drink it for no reason besides pleasure. True enough it can be just as addicting as chocolates– but it’s just so good that pubs are made for it.
Alas, alcohol has a negative connotation– but really, it is only bad for your health if you take it too excessively. Just like chocolates, there is health in moderation with beer. So if you’re on that safe middle ground, here are the benefits you may receive:
1. Helps you sleep better. You know that heavy sleep you get after drinking a few beers? That’s the effect of drinking some alcohol. The ingredients of beer like barley and malt– are where nicotinic acids are derived from, according to this article. Nicotinic acid is an organic compound that fights your insomnia and gives you a good night’s sleep.
2. Beer battles Blood Clots. Consumer Health Digest says that with moderate intake of beer, it can act as a “blood thinner.” There was a study conducted about this and it states that with sufficient amount, it could be preventive of clogging in arteries. This is also very beneficial for elderly people and those who suffer from deep vein thrombosis.
3. Beer is good for the bones. Beers have this dietary silicone that contributes to bone and connective tissue growth and development. With this, it could battle bone-related illnesses like osteoporosis. CHD also reveals that those who drink beer have 4.5 % better bone density than those who don’t.
4. Beer cancels out cancer. By taking a closer look at the ingredients found in beer, it is revealed that it contains a compound called xanthohumol. This is commonly found in brewing beer and is proven to play a major role in chemoprevention of cancer– according to Organic Facts.
5. Beer improves Problem-solving abilities. Medical Daily reported that a study conducted in the journal Consciousness and Cognition reveals that people who drank beer before the test were ‘worse at completing problems that required attentional control but better at creative problem-solving tests.’ But before you could assume a can of beer before school is a good idea, might want to choose safer options like reviewing your books. You can’t risk bad attentional control now, can you?
Now that we can sleep more soundly at night without having to worry about eating your guilty pleasures, you can stock some chocos and beers in your fridge if you’d like. But always remember, that it’s easy to overdo them if you’re not careful. Try having it only during special occasions, or as prizes for a job well done– don’t make it a daily habit. Control over pleasure is a challenge, so don’t tempt yourself if you know you can’t handle it.
Health in moderation, remember that!