Regular chocolate eaters welcome a host of benefits for their hearts, including lower blood pressure, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and a lower risk of heart disease.

Dark chocolate is especially heart-healthy because of its inflammation-fighting properties that reduce cardiovascular risk.

Because it is rich in fiber, dark chocolate can actually help keep you full, so you’ll eat less, Dr. David Katz, founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center stated. Regular chocolate eaters might do themselves a favor by treating themselves to a bite instead of snacking on “11 other things first” he said.

Dark chocolate does the trick much better than milk, according to a small study from the University of Copenhagen, and may even reduce cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.

A small Italian study from 2005 found that regularly eating chocolate increases insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing risk for diabetes.

Dark chocolate is actually good for your skin. The type of antioxidants called flavonoids found in dark chocolate offer some protection from UV damage from the sun.
An ingredient in chocolate called theobromine seems to reduce activity of the vagus nerve, the part of the brain that triggers hard-to-shake coughs.

In late 2010, the BBC reported that scientists were investigating creating a drug containing theobromine to replace cough syrups containing codeine, which can have risky side effects.

Chocolate eaters also report feeling less stressed.

Cocoa has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way to aspirin, Dr. Fitzgerald writes, which can improve blood flow and circulation.

Because of chocolate’s ability to improve blood flow, in particular to the brain, researchers at the University of Reading hypothesized in a small 2011 study that chocolate may also increase blood flow to the retina, thereby giving vision a boost.

That boost of blood flow to the brain created by cocoa’s flavanols seems to make people feel more awake and alert, and, in a small British study, perform better on counting tasks. The chocolate should be at least 70% cocoa or more. You can order cocao beans on the internet and grind the chocolate beans like you would coffee beans, or break them into nibs to use in cooking. It’s a real treat!

         In processed dark chocolate, antioxidants can be present, but are in much lower levels than in unheated raw chocolate nibs as an example. Out of al whole foods that contain antioxidants, raw chocolate is the highest in the world.

        The nutrient density of raw cacao benefits every function of the body. It is the highest source of magnesium and chromium of any food! Magnesium is the most deficient mineral in the average human. All the compounds found in raw cacao benefit longevity in humans. Nutrients found in raw chocolate have been linked to a number of health benefits:

        1) Lower blood pressure & improve circulation – Flavanols, theobromine, and other components found in cacao may lower blood pressure and enhance circulation by promoting dilation, strength, and health of blood vessels.

        2) Promote cardiovascular function & health – Antioxidant flavonoids and essential minerals and vitamins found in cacao support healthy heart functioning by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing plaque buildup on artery walls.

        3) Neutralize free radicals – High levels of antioxidants protect the body from a buildup of free radicals from sun exposure, pollution, cigarette smoking, etc., which may damage healthy body tissue giving rise to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

        4) Improve digestion – A sufficient amount of fiber with each serving of cacao supports digestion as cacao stimulates the body’s production of digestive enzymes.

        5) Enhance physical and mental wellbeing – There are many components of cacao including alkaloids, proteins, beta-carotene, leucine, linoleic, lipase, lysine, and theobromine, that all work together to improve physical and mental health. Theombromine stimulates the central nervous system, relaxes smooth muscles, and dilates blood vessels, giving the body a boost of energy; “bliss” chemicals found in cacao help to increase circulation and availability of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in brain, improving mood and combating depression.

Type of Coconut Oil to Use
Unrefined  (virgin or extra-virgin) coconut oil comes from fresh coconuts and has not been changed with heat processes.  It is the purest, most natural, least processed form.  Unrefined coconut oil retains the most nutritional value and is superior to refined oil.  While refined coconut oil is almost as nutritious as unrefined, it loses some of its health properties during the refining process.  Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated coconut oils as the hydrogenation process creates synthetic trans-fats!
Here are a few of the many uses for coconut oil:

1. Appetite Suppressant – the fat in coconut oil triggers the release of a hormone that slows down food movement through the digestive tract. It is the last nutrient to get digested and leave the stomach, supplying you a delayed feeling of satisfaction after eating.
2. Breastfeeding – for breastfeeding moms, consuming at least 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich and increase the milk supply.
3. Bones and Teeth – coconut oil aids in the absorption of calcium and magnesium leading to better development of bones and teeth.
4. Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil help control parasites and fungi that cause indigestion and digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. 5. The fat in coconut oil aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
6. Energy Boost – coconut oil boosts energy and endurance making it a great supplement for athletes as well as those needing a quick pick me up.
7. Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat while increasing muscle.
8. Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose making it great for both diabetics and non-diabetics who want to get their blood sugar stabilized before addressing other health issues.
9. Lung Function – increases the fluidity of cell surfaces.
10. Pregnancy – helps prevent gestational diabetes; keeps kidneys functioning; keeps morning sickness in check; and protects a mother-to-be from a host of potentially threatening infections as well as boost her immunity, which is naturally weakened during pregnancy.
11. Prevents oxidation of fatty acids
12. Skin Tone – promotes firmer skin tone and less sagging.
13. Stress Relief – relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
14. Vitamin and nutrient absorption – specifically magnesium and calcium.
15. Weight loss – the saturated fats contribute to weight loss and also increases metabolic rate.
16. Coconut Oil for Chronic Health Problems – when taken internally it is known for aiding, preventing, relieving or even curing many health issues
17. Cancer – has been shown to prevent colon and breast cancer in laboratory tests
18. Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio
19. Degenerative Diseases – provides antioxidants to fight free radicals that slow degenerative diseases such as arthritis
20. Diabetes – helps with cravings by stabilizing blood sugar. Eases neuropathies and itching.
21. Kidney Stones – aids in dissolving them
22. Coconut oil supports cell regeneration.
23. Age Spots – applying coconut oil directly to the age spot will help it fade.
24. Snoring Relief – by rubbing a dab of coconut oil in each nostril before bedtime, you will reduce swelling in the membranes of the lining of your nostrils which will stop the snoring.
25. Insect Repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with DEET! Tons safer too.

Additionally, this fatty acid has been shown to inhibit the growth of skin, colon, breast and lung cancer cells. Multiples studies reveal that CLA reduces the size of tumors in lab rats.
These studies show why butter is important for children to eat! CLA fed to rats before the perpubertal period prevented the growth of tumors, but when the rats weren’t fed CLA until maturity, they had to consume the fatty acid for the rest of their life to prevent tumor growth.
Butter contains 4% butyric acid, an anti-carcinogenic short-chain fatty acid. It inhibits the growth of mammary tumors. Butyric acid is a biological response modifier, a substance that arouses the body’s response to infection.
Butter does NOT make you fat.  Butter is a rich source of short and medium chain fatty acids, and these molecules “are not deposited to any extent in the adipose tissue”
Butter contains vitamin K2. Weston Price recorded his investigation of this vitamin and found that butter high in K2, combined with “a favorable selection of natural foods” successfully treated tooth decay. Interestingly, the concentration of K2 in butter varied greatly depending on the cow’s food with a prominent increase when the cows were pasture grazing
Scientists continue to explore the importance of K2 in diet. A recent study published by a European nutrition journal showed that an increased consumption of K2 may reduce the risk of prostrate cancer by 35 percent
Butter is packed with Fat-Soluble Vitamins. It is a potent source of vitamins A, D, and E, and the perfect carrier for these vitamins because it provides the fat needed for their absorption. It offers these vitamins to your body in the most assimilable form. In animal sources, vitamin A is a retinol and requires a little work by the body to make this conversion. On the other hand, the body is very inefficient at converting cartenoids from plant sources (like beta-carotene in orange veggies) into useable vitamin A.