THERE are two things in my life that I must admit are my Achilles' heel – chocolate and coffee.
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Chocolate has been a weakness of mine for years, so I’ve cut it out altogether now.
It seems I simply cannot stop at just four squares (as recommended in a healthy diet – four squares of dark chocolate).
So for me it’s easier to give chocolate a wide berth and not let the taste pass my lips. Because when it does, things go downhill very quickly.
Four squares turn into a row, which then turns into several and before I know it I’m left with an empty wrapper and a guilty conscience.
And although there are some health benefits to dark chocolate or raw chocolate, eating it in moderation is essential. So if you can do that, then you are a far stronger individual than me!
And as for coffee, there’s this misconception that you need to do the same – avoid it completely to improve your health.
Well, my coffee-loving friends, I’ve got some good news for you.
It seems coffee is no longer a guilty little pleasure. New research has indicated that drinking coffee can be good for the health of your liver.
As a self-confessed coffee lover, I was delighted to hear this news!
The National Cancer Institute has released results of their latest study, with regular coffee drinkers registering lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes than non-java drinking counterparts.
The study also indicated that caffeine wasn’t the hero behind the benefits, so forget about all those horrible caffeine-laden energy drinks – the study suggests that it’s the chemical compounds in coffee, not caffeine, that help to protect the liver.
According to Sciencedaily.com, separate studies have already found that coffee consumption may reduce the risk of diabetes, increase memory and improve cardiovascular function. Sounds too good to be true!
Perhaps it is.
Let’s not forget that too much of any one thing is not a balanced approach – putting liver enzymes aside, coffee can have detrimental effects on our health also, so don’t go overboard.
Coffee contains caffeine (unless decaf is your brew of choice), and large quantities of caffeine can elevate your heart rate and make you jittery.
As with all good things in life, moderation is key – so I’m thinking quality and not quantity when it comes to my daily dose of coffee (that means good coffee, with no sugar or chocolate dust on top).
I’m so pleased that out of the two vices in my life, the one that I decided to hold onto has come out on top.
Ah-ha – finally something that smells and tastes delicious is good for me.
And much better for my waistline than a whole block of chocolate!
So I’m off to enjoy my morning coffee, guilt-free, might I add.
Amy Holmes is the owner of Shape Health and Fitness, you
Amy Holmes is the owner of Shape Health and Fitness. Contact her for further healthy lifestyle advice via www.shapehealthandfitness.com.au