Dark chocolates the healthiest choice for Valentine's day
People needing a last-minute gift for their loved one may want to buy dark chocolates instead of milk or white varieties, as they are believed to be much better for the heart.Dr Gary Kaplan, from the Kaplan Centre for Integrative Medicine in the US, claims that dark chocolate is actually an "excellent" thing to eat.
He told NBC Washington's News 4 that chocolate falls into the category of so-called 'superfoods', but needs to be dark in order for consumers to benefit from its healthful properties.
"Chocolate actually can lower blood pressure, it can lower it as much as ... doing moderate exercise on a regular basis," the expert claimed.
"That translates into a 20 per cent decreased risk of cardiovascular disease over five years - so that's a big deal."
Dr Kaplan revealed that just a small amount of dark chocolate helps to increase the elasticity of blood vessels, decrease plaque formation and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or 'bad cholesterol').
However, he cautioned against buying chocolates that contain marshmallows and other sugary products, as these will offset the benefits of the chocolate itself.
