The Beauty Diet (11 page)

Godiva, Neuhaus, Ghirardelli—these decadent dark chocolate treats should be savored on any day, not just on special occasions! While chocolate lovers would argue that any chocolate is delicious, not all chocolates are created equal, and the health effects of chocolate depend on how it is processed. "Dutch processed" cocoa has far fewer health benefits than raw cocoa powder, and the health benefits of eating chocolate are negated in milk chocolate. The proteins in milk bind to the antioxidants and make them less bioavailable. Another
reason to avoid commercial milk chocolate: according to the FDA, it may contain as little as 10 percent actual chocolate. The rest can be made up of cocoa butter, milk, sweeteners, natural or artificial flavors, and emulsifiers.

When it comes to the health benefits of your favorite kind of chocolate, the most important factor is whether the natural flavanols have been retained in the final product. Typically, the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you, since dark chocolate has the most antioxidants. The percentage of cacao in a product—often given on the label—gives you an idea of the richness of the chocolate taste, but it does not always reflect the flavanol content. Seeing "60% cacao" or "70% cacao" on the label does not guarantee that the product has higher levels of flavanols. This is because manufacturers sometimes remove the flavanols because of their bitter taste. An article in the British medical journal
Lancet
notes that cocoa solids can be darkened even as the natural flavanols are removed, producing a dark chocolate with fat, sugar, and calories but no health benefits.

Some manufacturers have gone to extra efforts to retain more flavanols in their chocolate as a selling point. The Mars company makes two products high in flavanols, Dove dark chocolate and CocoaVia, as well as Cocoapro cocoa powder. The more processes the chocolate is put through (such as fermentation, alkalizing, roasting), the more flavanols are lost.

You probably don't need extra encouragement to eat chocolate, but if you're looking for a special treat, try my recipe for Dark Chocolate–Dipped Frozen Bananas (see
Chapter 9
).

1.
For the greatest nutritional boost, choose dark chocolate. Milk chocolate and white chocolate may be delicious, but they do not have any health or beauty benefits. In general, flavanol content in chocolate products, from highest to lowest, goes like this:

Natural cocoa powder

Unsweetened baking chocolate

Dark chocolate

Semisweet chocolate baking chips

Milk chocolate

2.
Choose natural cocoa over "Dutch processed" cocoa, which has been treated with an alkali to give it a milder flavor. This process strips the cocoa of its natural flavanols.

3.
Buy chocolate that is at least 60 percent cacao. As just mentioned, it won't necessarily mean the product is high in flavanols since some manufacturers remove them to eliminate their bitter taste, but it's a better bet than chocolate with lower percentages.

4.
Keep portions small to avoid excess calories. One ounce of dark chocolate contains about 150 calories. If you overindulge, the sugar and fat content of the chocolate will negate any benefits from the antioxidants!

Every system in the body depends on water. About 70 percent of our body weight is water. Our blood is about 85 percent water. Our muscles are about 75 percent water. Even 20 percent of our bones is water. This helps explain why we can live for weeks without food, but only days without water.

Drinking enough water keeps us hydrated from the inside out and helps keep our skin healthy, soft, smooth, and glowing. Water plays a key role in maintaining skin's elasticity and suppleness. It is the cheapest moisturizer around. I find that when my skin is hydrated, wrinkles are less noticeable, and my skin looks more plump.

Our kidneys and liver work hard to get rid of toxins in our bodies, and they depend on water to do their job. Additionally, water regulates our body temperature, keeps our joints lubricated, helps prevent infections, and carries nutrients to our cells.

Drinking water keeps you slim, and if you are looking to lose weight, water can help you shed pounds. Water has zero calories, so choose it over soda or juice. Drink it before each meal and it will curb your appetite and make you feel full. Interestingly, research has revealed that water-rich foods like salads, vegetables, and soups can also help you lose weight. Consuming these foods before you eat helps you consume fewer calories overall during a meal.

Bottled or filtered water is cleaner and therefore better for our bodies. The filtration process eliminates contaminants such as pollutants, parasites that cause illness (
Cryptosporidium
and
Giardia
), and toxic metals such as lead and mercury. I also recommend drinking filtered water because of the taste. Filters can reduce chlorine and remove bad taste or odors, so your water is much more refreshing and palatable.

The Institute of Medicine (part of the National Academy of Sciences) recommends that women aim for 11 8-ounce cups of fluids, and men for 15½ cups—but this includes all beverages and water-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, and soups. In general, one quart of water is needed daily for every 50 pounds of body weight.

Most people can use their thirst as a guide, except for older adults and those who exercise, because the thirst mechanism doesn't work optimally for these two groups. As you age, your sense of thirst diminishes. Also, when you exercise intensely, you can lose fluids so quickly that your brain doesn't have enough time to alert you to drink more. In that case, drink even when you're not necessarily thirsty.

To help you get your quota of water each day:

Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up.

Every morning, fill a 64-ounce (or larger) container with water for the day. When you drink all the water in the container, you have met your daily water requirement.