5 Healthy Reasons to Drink Hot Chocolate
One of the most popular winter beverages, hot chocolate, is chock full of amazing benefits. Not only does it keep you warm during the cold winter season, it can also boost your overall health. Chocolate itself is high in powerful antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, age-related macular degeneration, premature aging, and can even reduce your risk of cancer, since they combat free radicals in your body. The darker your chocolate, the more powerful antioxidants it has. However, you may wonder if a cup of hot chocolate is as healthy as that bar of dark chocolate.
Hot chocolate has been used for many years to treat diseases and fight bad moods. It’s known as a special healthy drink from the 16th to 19th centuries, and sometimes was taken as a medicine. Nowadays people don’t consider hot chocolate as a medicine, but drink even more than ever! There are plenty of tasty and healthy hot chocolate recipes you can try to enjoy the following health benefits of drinking hot chocolate.
1 It boosts your brain power
The study shows that drinking hot chocolate can help boost your brain power and improve your overall brain health. The flavonoids in hot chocolate increase the blood flow and oxygen to your brain, helping you think better. If you want to boost your memory, try drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day. Not only will you improve your memory, but your mood as well. Just make sure you don’t use too many sugar in your hot chocolate.
2 It contains more antioxidants
According to a research conducted by Cornell University, hot chocolate contains more antioxidants than green tea and wine. Moreover, drinking hot chocolate is one of the most delicious ways to get chocolate’s powerful antioxidants. Hot chocolate contains a little bit more antioxidants than a bar of chocolate, which are released when the drink is heated up.
3 It boosts your mood
Chocolate, including hot chocolate, is a well-known mood booster. This tasty drink helps fight stress, anxiety, and depression. Hot chocolate stimulates an endorphin release, which helps to improve your mood and make you feel happier in a jiff. But the problem is, hot chocolate may contain high amounts of sugar, which is not good for your health. Consider making sugar-free hot chocolate to reap all its mood-boosting properties.
Read also – 8 Best Winter Foods You Should Be Eating Now
4 It’s good for your arterial health
The flavonoids found in hot chocolate are good for your arterial health. Flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and improving blood vessels. Opt for healthy hot chocolate and be sure to drink it in moderation. Remember, chocolate itself contains sugar and saturated fat so you can’t allow yourself to drink more than 2 cups a day.
5 It can help you lose weight
If you are trying to drop a few pounds, drinking hot chocolate can help you achieve your weight loss goal. When made correctly, hot chocolate is a delicious and low calorie drink that you can enjoy every time you have chocolate cravings. Plus, drinking a cup of low calorie hot chocolate helps prevent the intake of high-calorie and sugary foods such as doughnuts, pastries, and cakes.
Now that you’re aware of some of the best health benefits of drinking hot chocolate, what are you waiting for? Rush into your kitchen and make this fantastic winter beverage. When making your hot chocolate, opt for unsweetened coconut or almond milk instead of cow’s milk and avoid adding sugar. Remember, the less sugar you add to your drinks, the better it is for your health. Are you a hot chocolate junkie? What’s your favorite hot chocolate recipe? Let me know!
