Gift Baskets for Her: The Sweet Benefits of Chocolate

Why do gift baskets for her often contain chocolate? Because it makes you feel good as it melts in your mouth. Chocolate is a romantic gift, an apology gift, a birthday gift or Christmas present. Gifts of chocolate commemorate many special occasions, but did you know that chocolate can be a healthy treat?

Remember when your mother offered you an apple or a banana as an after school snack? You wanted candy or cookies, but she warned you that they would rot your teeth, cause acne or spoil your dinner.

Believe it or not, chocolate has been discovered to contain some health benefits like antioxidants. Eating a small amount of chocolate each day can reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. The antioxidants in chocolate can also lower your LDL (Bad) cholesterol. In addition, chocolate contains beneficial iron and magnesium.

Though chocolate does contain caffeine, it has less than some tea. Another interesting fact is that it does not cause acne, as your mother may have warned you about. Studies have come up with absolutely no scientific proof of chocolate causing acne. This is an old wives tale.

Chocolate makes you feel good! The fact is chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a chemical that releases serotonin and endorphins in the brain. Serotonin and endorphins are knows as “happy chemicals” that affect your mood by chasing the blues away. For this reason, chocolate is often a romantic gift idea, or something for him to give to her when she ‘puts him in the doghouse.”

While milk chocolate will provide some calcium, dark chocolate has less fat. Dark chocolate is the best; it contains more of the health benefits described above. White chocolate is not really chocolate at all, so there are few, if any health benefits in white chocolate.

This doesn’t mean you should eat a pound of chocolate for dinner. Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “too much of a good thing is bad.” Studies have shown that eating an ounce or two of dark chocolate per day can have physical and mental health benefits.

Carolyn Simi owns With My Regards, a company who offers unique gifts and creative gift baskets for her and boyfriend gift ideas with various themes for many occasions. Chocolate and gourmet treats come in re-usable containers like tool boxes, tote bags, planters, buckets and more.