Chocolate is Actually Good for Your Heart - http://clapway.com/2015/06/21/chocolate-is-actually-good-for-your-heart876/

Milk Chocolate Not As Bad As We Thought!

It’s possible you’ve heard before that dark chocolate is the healthiest chocolate, and could possibly benefit your heart health. Well, your sweet tooth may be in luck, as a new study shows that milk chocolate not only isn’t a major cause for concern, but in fact may be better for you than any of us realized. A new study recently published in Heart, a BMJ journal, theorizes that milk chocolate is, fittingly, good for your heart! Not bad for something your parents always told you not to eat too much of.

Regular Chocolate Eaters At Lower Risk For Heart Problems

Over 21,000 people were surveyed in England -in particular near the Norfolk area- over a period of over 12 years. All those surveyed ate varying amounts of chocolate in that time. The results aren’t what would typically be expected; those who were in the top percentile of chocolate consumption found themselves with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke than those who ate less chocolate. The 11% decrease in risk for coronary heart disease wasn’t the only positive; they also had lower blood pressure, lower BMIs, and even lower risk for diabetes! They were also found 25% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease. The percentage of people in the study who didn’t eat chocolate and developed cardiovascular disease was actually 5.4 more than those who did eat chocolate! The study even found that people who ate chocolate tended to exercise more than those who did not.

These findings are somewhat confusing. Researchers have begun theorizing that the polyphenols in cocoa beans were what worked to make some chocolates beneficial to the human heart. But milk chocolate contains very low levels.

Don’t Go Overboard on Chocolate, Though

It’s still important to take this study with a grain of salt. Chocolate may be a lot better for you than you realized, but scientists are urging moderation on the heels of this news. Some insist that you keep it to, at most, 3.5 ounces of chocolate a day. As with any food, it won’t be as healthy if you go totally overboard with it.

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Chocolate is Actually Good for Your Heart

Don"t Leave Switzerland Without Trying These 3 Dishes - http://clapway.com/2015/06/01/dont-leave-switzerland-without-trying-these-3-dishes/

Switzerland, this small country in central Europe is probably best known for its cheese, chocolates and watches. Also named Schweiz, Suisse, Svizzera and Svizra, it is a peaceful country that houses two of the top cities with the highest quality of life in the world: Geneva and Zurich. The country is divided by four distinct linguistic and cultural regions; German, French, Italian and Romansh all of which are strongly connected with their neighboring countries. I had the opportunity lo live in the French part of Switzerland for three years, where I had some of the best experiences in my life.

The cuisine in Switzerland varies from region to region, and the most popular and traditional dish tends to be cheese fondue, especially during the cold winter. Although nobody can argue fondue is delicious, there are other dishes I would encourage you to try when visiting this amazing country.

Fondue aux tomates- This variation of fondue is very popular in the Canton of Valais in the southwest of Switzerland. This fondue is made out of cheese and tomato and is served either with pieces of bread or “pommes de terres” also known as steamed potatoes. The best way to eat this is to cut the potato in half and pour the fondue on top of the potato.

Raclette- From the French word “racler” which means to scrape. This popular dish is made up of pieces of cheese which are melted either with fire or in a special machine, and then scraped on the plate. The cheese is accompanied with steamed potatoes, dried meat or pickled onions. During the winter, many restaurants offer raclette tastings with different types of cheese from emmental to gruyere, for guests to enjoy. Drinking wine is recommended when you eat raclette so it breaks the grease making digestion easier, trust me on this, I wish I had known the first time I tried raclette.

Vin Chaud- If you visit Switzerland during the cold months, hot wine is a must to stay warm. This is a secret Swiss people enjoy to stay warm during the frigid temperatures. Hot wine is prepared with fruit and cinnamon and is served in bars, restaurants and ski resorts, equivalent to a hot cider or ponche. Its the perfect drink for apres skiing while hanging out with close friends.

There are certainly other interesting dishes in Switzerland that are more influenced by German and Italian cooking. Hope you enjoy these dishes next time you visit the alps! For more information and tips on traveling and food in Mexico and abroad visit michelleonbell.com.

Don"t Leave Switzerland Without Trying These 3 Dishes