10 things that are good for you…they might surprise you
July 15, 2008 by Laurie
Filed under helpful hints, Just for fun!
1. Chocolate: Its a good thing because I always have it on hand here at the house LOL It’s partiularly good when the toddlers are bouncing off the walls and I need a “me” moment. The kind of chocolate that’s good for you is the dark or bitter chocolate (you can wash it down with some milk chocolate haha). It contains chemicals called polyphenols that reduce the presence of free radicals, which cause cell and DNA damage. It also protects the heart.
2. Red Wine: Well I never have really liked alcohol of any kind. Now folks this doesn’t mean get slopping drunk. Polyphenols are the key – chemicals such as tannins and flavonoids in the grape skin and seeds that are powerful antioxidants.
3. Stress: SAY WHAT?!!! Ok, well long term stress is no good, but short bursts are good for the whole “fight or flight”…used to help keep men protected against predators…does that mean my kids are the predators? LOL!
4. Ice cream: WOOOHOOOO! Ice cream is low GI, which means it releases its sugar gradually into your blood after you’ve eaten it, which means you’re not left wanting another pint lol. Bring on the Ben & Jerry’s. I can handle this one folks!
5. White bread: White bread flour is fortified with calcium and iron as well as B1 and niacin. And because white bread has less fiber, it means that more of the calcium is absorbed. As a rule you should stick with whole grain breads…but at least white bread isnt totally bad for you
6. Work: Ugh makes me feel tired. But work helps you stay healthy. It helps reinforce your sense of social worth and extending your life expectancy. Guess the houseworkk isn’t totally thankless LOL
7. Coffee: Well that’s a yuck for me. Coffee contains antioxidates, and tannins which help unblock the arteries and protects the heart. It’s also good for the liver to protect against cirrhosis. One cup a day lowers your risk by 20%!
8. Baked beans: Yummy! Genuinely just good for the heart and I would imagine high in protein. Break out the Beano folks…they aren’t without some downwind risk! LOL
9. Guinness: Not the book…the beer. Yuck! Apparently a pint of the dark black stuff is much like a daily aspirin.
10. Newspaper Lists: Apparently reading long lists in papers helps with stress..go figure.
You can read more about it HERE
I’ve recently learned that 70 or 80% cocoa written on the package does not mean the chocolate is good for you. Once chocolate is heated above 125 degrees, especially if they alkalize the chocolate, it begins to loose key flavonoids like epicatechins and catechins, if not all it’s health benefits as well.
Scott
http://mxi.myvoffice.com/ChocolateOfTheGods/
Thanks for the insight, and how does one tell the good chocolate from the bad??