According to a new study, published in a sports journal last December, researchers at Kingston University in England found that dark chocolate might be a potent performance enhancer, specially in the case of Athletes, if the Chocolate amounts were consumed carefully. Eight male recreational cyclists, the study subjects were given a little dark chocolate every day. Four cyclists were asked to replace one of their normal sweets or desserts with 40 grams dark chocolate, to avoid weight gain per day. Four others were given 40 grams of white chocolate, every day, for two weeks. After this study period ended, all the athletes were called for a physical examination and surprisingly, thise subjects who were supplemented with dark chocolate ran an extra tenth of mile compared to them who consumed white chocolate for two weeks.

Dark chocolate is proved to be good for health with quite a good number if benefits and studies show that small amounts of dark chocolate every day may have benefits for heart and brain too. Most of the above mentined research focused on the existence of a substance called Epicatechin, a plant nutrient found in Cocoa. It is found more in Dark chocolate as this variety of chocolate has more percentage of Cocoa than Milk chocolate and White Chocolate. Epicatechin is known to enable blood vessels to release extra nitric oxide, improving functioning of veins and arteries, blood flow and cardiac function, and also the ability to pump more oxygen into blood cells.

With all these physiological benfits, Epicatechin in Dark Chocolate is suspected to help improve athletic performance in cyclists and other athletes. Researchers suggest those who want to improve their physical performace in Workouts and Athletics to supplement their diet with not more than 40 grams of Dark Chocolate daily. If thwy want to consume Dark chocolate with milk, then skim/fatfree milk is better to keep a check on body weight. Offering dark chocolate squares to children and adults for snacking in limited quantities, every day, is a healthy habit...then would you buy a dark chocolate bar when visiting a friend's place instead of cakes and sweets, or white chocolates?

..Prathyusha