Lactation is a natural way to make your baby drink milk and nourish them by providing all the vital nutrients. Being a breastfeeding mother, you should follow a healthy diet to improve your and your baby’s health. Even though you can choose from multiple beverages, lactation hot chocolate is one of the most delicious options. It contains certain ingredients that benefit your health. Are you wondering what are the health benefits of drinking lactation hot chocolate? Check the list below:
Boost Cardiovascular Health
Cacao, the key ingredient in Australia’s best lactation hot chocolate, contains antioxidants, which reduce LDL cholesterol in your blood and protect your body against coronary diseases, heart attacks, or ailments. Hot chocolate preserves heart health and cures Atrial Fibrillation (AF). Consuming hot chocolate every day can cause cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis, which intensifies heart disease risks because of fat accumulation in arteries.
Raise the Oxygen Level in the Brain
Lactation hot chocolate boosts the oxygen levels and metabolism in the brain, which stimulates all neurons. The higher oxygen levels protect a person having Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Hot chocolate maintains brain health and improves cognitive functionalities and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Combat Aging and Heart Diseases
Hot chocolate contains antioxidants that protect your body against aging, free radicals, heart diseases, and even cancer. Polyphenols, flavonoids, and procyanidin produce antioxidants, which control the formation of cholesterol. Polyphenols in high amounts reduce cholesterol and control inflammation.
Decrease Blood Sugar Levels
We all know eating excess chocolate increases blood sugar content in our bodies. However, hot chocolate has anti-diabetic properties. Cacao may boost insulin secretion and sugar levels in your muscles rather than blood. It slows down digestion and controls inflammation and consumption of carbs in your gut. This beverage can help in curing Type 2 diabetes if you consume it without additional toppings or sweeteners. Consuming hot chocolate every day with a small amount of cocoa (approximately 54g) or chocolate of 100g can highly reduce the risk of diabetes. The high content of flavonoids and polyphenols balances the insulin level in your body. The blood sugar level in your body gets normal, which controls the adverse effects of diabetes.
Control Blood Pressure
Drinking hot chocolate can always reduce your blood pressure. Nitric oxide and flavonol promote vasodilation in human beings. The nutrients in lactation hot chocolate may help in relaxing the arteries from the fat accumulation and maintain a normal range of blood pressure. The ingredients of hot chocolate can boost the functioning of endothelium.
Help in Weight Loss
Being overweight can never be good for your health and lifestyle. As hot chocolate keeps you full for a long time, it controls your cravings for your favourite food. Ensure to have them without additional sweeteners, candies, and chocolates rather than adding finely chopped nuts as toppings. Enough amounts of flavanols and catechins create antioxidants that help in losing fat. Drinking hot chocolate with a high cacao powder content can always make you feel healthy. Consuming cocoa, even as chocolate, can help you to lose weight. Cocoa and cacao may improve your health by controlling energy consumption, appetite, and inflammation. The fat oxidation in your body improves, which gives you a feeling of fullness and reduces your urge to eat more.
Decrease Mood Swings
Mood swings affect mood, and staying in a good mood is crucial for a breastfeeding woman. Hot chocolates can extend your attention span, which controls mood swings. Eating chocolate can always help you to stay mindful. The happy hormones released by the chocolate’s polyphenols give you the feeling of contentment and tranquillity that help in controlling your mood swings. You can have a cup of hot chocolate to feel relaxed in today’s world, which is full of different types of distractions. As you consume more lactation hot chocolate, you can experience better psychological and physical well-being.
The Bottomline
Staying healthy during lactation is extremely important as you are feeding milk to your baby. Thus, you should never compromise your mind as a breastfeeding woman. Adding lactation hot chocolate to your diet can always benefit you and your baby’s health because of the points mentioned above. If you want to experience the health benefits of hot chocolate, you should have it every day during lactation and enjoy its taste.