Cocoa health benefits includes maintaining blood pressure, helps with healing process, promote weight loss, wards off fatigue, prevents cancer, promotes digestion, improves psychological health, support cardiovascular health, helps in bronchial asthma, helps control diabetes, a source of antioxidants, improves skin condition and boost stamina.
Not only is cocoa a primary ingredient for chocolate preparation, but it is also a powerhouse of nutritional components. You will be delighted to learn that cocoa doesn’t have any side effects, but is a natural source to treat several health ailments. Therefore, incorporate cocoa into your diet and enrich your body with plenty of essential antioxidants and minerals.
What is Cocoa?
Cocoa or cocoa beans are obtained after fermentation of seeds that grow on a cocoa tree. The latter is scientifically known as Theobroma cocoa. It is native to the Amazonian region and was considered an essential natural source in South and Central America. However, later when its health benefits got popular, cocoa was begun trading across the world.
Nutritional Value of Cocoa
- Calcium 8 g
- Copper 5 g
- Dietary Fiber 10 mg
- Iron 6 g
- Magnesium 5 g
- Manganese 9 mg
- Phosphorus 5 g
- Potassium 5 mg
- Protein 9 g
- Zinc 3 g
13 Impressive Health Benefits of Cocoa
1. For High Blood Pressure
Maintaining blood pressure levels facilitate your cardiovascular health. Studies have suggested that incorporating a moderate amount of cocoa into your diet can help alleviate high levels of blood pressure. You can still consult with your primary care provider in this regard to avoid further health problems.
2. For Healing Purposes
Coca has been proven as a therapeutic agent. You can find a high content of nutrients in it which contain soothing and healing properties. Therefore, you can opt for coca extract in case of an injury to speed up the healing process and impede infection in the affected area. Moreover, a study has concluded that cocoa is also potent enough to ward off Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Thus, you can consume it if you want to get rid of a health-damaging factor.
3. Helps Lose Weight
You may not believe it, but cocoa is highly beneficial for overweight individuals. You can consume it to alleviate fatty acid transportation in your body along with maintaining lipid metabolism. Studies have shown its effectiveness regarding thermogenesis – the function that helps burn fat in your body.
4. For Sudden Fatigue
Coca contains plenty of nourishing components that are necessary to fulfill various deficiencies in your body. Lack of vitamins and minerals often contribute to symptoms associated with sudden fatigue. However, regular consumption of cocoa can help you in this context. Moreover, it protects neuronal cells from the effects of oxidative stress that wards off fatigue efficiently.
5. Prevents Cancer
Various studies have suggested that consuming cocoa can impede the development of cancerous cells in your body. It is also a powerhouse of properties such as procyanidins and flavonols that heals the internal body after chemotherapy. Health experts have determined that the healing components found in cocoa are highly valuable in cases of prostate and colon cancer.
6. Promotes Digestion
Cocoa could become your next choice when it comes to treating digestion. It contains dietary fiber compounds that help reduce stomach inflammation that result in indigestion. Apart from this, you can manage irregular bowel movements via moderate consumption of cocoa as well. Nutritionists suggest that incorporating cocoa into your diet in any form can alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort and abdominal pain alike.
7. Improves Psychological Health
Health experts regarded it as a useful antidepressant due to its positive effects on your psychological health. Cocoa has potential to treat various mental issues such as stress and anxiety. Studies have concluded that cocoa can improve cognition significantly.
It is possible due to component phenylethylamine that function to relaxing tensed nerves. Therefore, consuming cocoa is said to improve your overall psychological health.
8. For Cardiovascular Health
Everything works well in moderation, and the case is similar to cocoa. Enriched with flavonoids such as epicatechin, procyanidin, and catechin, cocoa can prevent your heart from oxidative stress strengthening its cells and tissues.
It is also a natural source to balancing LDL or bad cholesterol levels that may affect your cardiovascular health. Moreover, consuming cocoa can help ward off symptoms associated with blood clotting preventing you from falling prey to debilitating cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.
9. Help in Bronchial Asthma
You can opt for cocoa extract in case of bronchial asthma. It is loaded with theophylline and xanthine; both nutrients function in reducing bronchial spasms and widening narrowed bronchial tube.
Moreover, both components are also essential to treat shortness of breath without hurting your overall health. However, in case of asthma attacks, it is suggested to consult with your physician and refrain from self-medication.
10. Controls Diabetes
Enriched with the high content of dietary fiber, cocoa can do wonders for the people with diabetes. It can regulate blood sugar levels in your bloodstream. It allows your blood to absorb glucose from the foods you consume preventing its buildup in the organs. Although nutrients do not restrict people with diabetes from cocoa consumption, you should still consult with your endocrinologist in this regard.
11. A Source of Antioxidants
Incorporating food sources packed with antioxidants is highly beneficial. Regular doses of the nutrients will function to prevent your body from the damages of factors like free radicals. The elements are dangerous regarding your well-being.
That is why nutritionists recommend consuming cocoa. It is a powerhouse of antioxidants and a safe source to dismantle elements that contribute to oxidative stress in your body organs.
12. Improves Skin Condition
It does not matter which factors damaged your skin cells; it will be restored if you opt for the right source. Cocoa can work well in this regard. It is a storehouse of various essential properties such as vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants. The components are highly beneficial when it comes to maintaining the condition of your skin.
You can prevent your skin from the elements, for instance, free radicals that can contribute to dismantling skin tissues and cells via cocoa consumption. It will rejuvenate dead skin cells protecting you from the symptoms of premature aging. You can prepare various face packs adding cocoa powder to pamper your skin without introducing it to chemical-induced products. It will give you satisfying and lasting results. However, avoid applying it to your face in case of skin redness and irritation and consult with your dermatologist instead.
13. Boosts Stamina
You need increased stamina to perform several tasks in a day that is not possible with lower energy levels. Cocoa is said to be useful in this case as the nutrients potassium and protein function to boost your energy levels.
Bottom Line
Cocoa is indeed a wondrous natural source. And you treat various health ailments via it. Thus, opt for some cocoa and let it make a difference.