Eating For Health

Seeing as our next holiday is Valentine’s Day, I thought I would take a look at chocolate.   And who doesn’t like chocolate?   Everyone says candy is bad for you – at least that is what they used to say.   And yes, candy does have added sugar and that isn’t healthy.   But can chocolate have health benefits?   Yes, it can, dark chocolate that is.   When the manufacture dark chocolate they leave in more of the cocoa solids and add less sugar compared to milk chocolate.   This is what gives dark chocolate its stronger, rich flavor.   So what is the “healthy” ingredient in dark chocolate?   Flavenols, these are an antioxidant found in dark chocolate and cocoa.   Milk chocolate is not has healthy as it not only contains more added sugar but less of these healthy flavenols.   It is the flavenols that can help guard against heart disease, diabetes, dementia and stroke, quite a list of diseases. Heart benefits of dark chocolate:   How does chocolate benefit our hearts? 1.         

Last week I reported on the ranking of diets in the January issue of the US News and World Report.    I wrote about their top 2 ranked best diets overall.   The report also ranked the top diets for weight loss.   Since many people have resolutions to lose weight in 2014, what weight loss diets are the best?   Number One Weight Loss Diet:   Weight Watchers Diet The top ranked diet for losing weight according to the experts is Weight Watchers.   Why? Pros:   -           Great diet to not only lose the weight but keep it off -           Based on real foods, you can eat what you want -           No foods are “off limits” -           Safe diet -           Philosophy:   fill up on healthy foods -           Hunger – you shouldn’t be hungry on this diet as you can have 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.   Weight Watchers uses a point system, every food is given a point value.   Foods like fruits and vegetables have zero points while processed foods like bologna have a high po