Dietary fiber is typically associated with vegetables, but dark chocolate, a treasure trove of dietary fiber, challenges this preconceived notion. Foods rich in dietary fiber often bring to mind ingredients like burdock root or sweet potatoes. Yet dark chocolate packs in double the fiber found in equivalent quantities of burdock root and more than five times that of sweet potatoes.
Dark chocolate: A guardian of digestive health
Dietary fiber doesn’t just slow down the absorption of sugars — it also cleanses the gut and can potentially alleviate constipation. Moreover, constipation is intricately connected with poor liver function. A sluggish bowel can lead to a toxic intestinal environment. These toxins enter the liver through the portal vein. To cope with the toxins, the liver slows down its carbohydrate metabolism. From this perspective, the dietary fiber in dark chocolate also serves as a protective shield for the liver.
Renowned Professor Koga Jinichiro from Teikyo University in Japan indicates that dark chocolate contains cocoa polyphenols, unlike common proteins, which are not easily digested. As these compounds pass through the gut largely undigested and reach the large intestine directly, they aid in improving gut health.
Nutrient powerhouse
Dark chocolate is rich in essential minerals such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper. These minerals not only help regulate blood pressure, but they also assist in balancing hormones. The benefits extend far beyond what you can imagine — it’s a secret weapon for achieving restful sleep, stable blood pressure, and reducing stress.
A bite of happiness
Dark chocolate is widely recognized for its stress-relieving properties. Many attest to a sense of elation and joy after savoring a piece, a claim backed by scientific evidence. Professor Takeda Hiroshi from the International University of Health and Welfare affirms the stress-combatting benefits of eating it.
Experiments involving stress-induced mice, some given cocoa polyphenols and others not, revealed that those provided with cocoa polyphenols demonstrated significantly less stress response. Stress is a major contributor to high blood pressure, diabetes, gastric ulcers, obesity, and even psychological trauma. Thus, consuming dark chocolate can potentially mitigate the risk of these conditions.
In another study, Professor Seiou Masaharu from Nakamura Gakuen found that dark chocolate triggers the secretion of a calming brain hormone, serotonin. Professor Masaharu concluded that the catechins present in cocoa polyphenols influence the production of serotonin.
A healthier choice for sweet tooth satisfaction
Under stress, many people overindulge in sweets, leading to an increased risk of fatty liver and diabetes. Here, dark chocolate offers a healthier alternative. By switching to it, you not only soothe your nerves, but you also guard against fatty liver and diabetes — a real win-win.
This article is an excerpt from “A Week of Light Control of Carbohydrates to Get Rid of Fatty Liver: Quickly Shed Visceral Fat Without Starving or Going on a Tough Diet,” published by Shimao Publishing House.
Translated by Patty Zhang
