It
is never too soon to eat smart for your heart. When your cardiovascular
system starts to fail (and you will not feel it), your quality of life
is impaired forever. Actually, atherosclerosis (plaque in your
arteries) often begins in your teens.
Great
news is, being younger, you can take steps now to protect your heart
and keep it in good shape. Remove fried and junk foods from your
regular diet. Exercise. Limit alcohol intake (besides, you do not want a
DUI!).
And
for that occasional treat... indulge in sweet, delicious dark
chocolate! Dark chocolate contains flavanols, a type of antioxidant
that helps your cells resist damage caused by free radicals. Flavanols
have been shown by medical researchers to have the ability to help
maintain healthy blood pressure, improve blood flow to your heart and
brain, and to help ensure your blood platelets resist sticking together,
causing dangerous clotting.
Chocolate
is made from cocoa, a plant naturally packed with flavanols. When
purchasing chocolate for your siggy other this Valentine's Day, not any
candy will do. The typical chocolate candy found at checkout counters
has added sugars, and if it's milk chocolate, has much more of the bad
fat.
According
to the Cleveland Clinic, "The more chocolate is processed (through
fermentation, alkalizing, roasting, etc.), the more flavanols are lost.
Most commercial chocolates are highly processed. For now, your best
choices are likely dark chocolate over milk chocolate (especially milk
chocolate that is loaded with other fats and sugars), and cocoa powder
that has not undergone Dutch processing (cocoa that is treated with an
alkali to neutralize its natural acidity)."
Red
wine, besides making for a more romantic Valentine's Day celebration,
is also loaded with heart-healthy flavonoids (flavanols). So give your
sweetness (and yourself) a scrumptious dark chocolate (and red wine)
treat for heart health!
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