Sweet indulgences for a healthy heart
If you think dark chocolate or red wine is only good for your soul, listen up.
These sweet indulgences may be good for your health as well. Both dark chocolate and red wine contain flavonoids, micronutrients that are packed with antioxidants. Some studies show that antioxidants may help protect the body from cellular damage caused by normal bodily processes like breathing and aging.
Toxins
"As you breathe, your body turns oxygen into energy, but byproducts of this process are toxins called free radicals," says Virtua Health cardiologist, Maria Duca, MD. "These toxins can trigger plaque build up in the arteries and increase bad cholesterol levels."
Antioxidants help fight against this by lowering "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and increasing "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. However, it's important to remember that wine and chocolate are packed with calories.
"Like most of life's indulgences, moderation is the key," advises Dr. Duca.