There are numerous health benefits associated with dark chocolate. In this article you will find information on the uses of dark chocolate to treat cough.
Cough is a symptom of a variety of disorders or respiratory disorders. Cough occurs when a foreign particle enters the throat or the air passage. It is the body’s way of getting rid of the foreign particles that enter the body. Therefore, cough is one of the most common symptoms experienced by people of all age groups. Cough is a symptom of common conditions like common cold, flu, acid reflux; and also of severe disorders like bronchitis and pneumonia.
In most of the cases, cough, if not accompanied with other severe symptoms, can be treated with the help of home remedies. Although there are several cough medication available in the market, we prefer using home remedies because there are no side effects associated with home remedies, and they are equally effective. Here we will see more on the uses of dark chocolate for treating cough.
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
You have been advised since childhood to reduce the intake of chocolate as they are bad for your teeth and overall health. However, not the dark chocolate. It is loaded with chemicals that are actually good for health. If you take a look at the dark chocolate health benefits, you will find that it helps in lowering blood pressure, and hence, is good for the heart.
Secondly, it also lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels. At the same time, you must have noted that dark chocolate is the comfort food for many people. This is because, a certain chemical present in chocolate brings about a good feeling and relaxes the mind. It is also believed that dark chocolate also prevents certain types of cancer to a great extent. However, according to the recent studies, it has been found that dark chocolate is very effective for treating cough. Let us take a look at it in detail.
Dark Chocolate for Treating Cough
Dark chocolate contains a chemical known as theobromine. Studies and research has proven it to be a powerful cough suppressant. According to statistics, the theobromine found in this chocolate is more powerful than codeine, which is one of the most widely used cough suppressant. It is particularly useful for treating dry cough. Similarly, there are no side effects associated with having dark chocolate (although having it in large amounts can lead to weight gain). Dark chocolate can be used to treat cough in children as well as adults.
However, it should be noted that when we say dark chocolate, it means chocolate than contains 80% or more cocoa, and very little sugar. Secondly, in order to enjoy the health benefits, you need not consume large amounts of it, just 1-2 ounces for adults and 0.5-1 ounces for children. Secondly, you can either have pieces of chocolate directly, in the prescribed amounts; or have a dark chocolate drink with hot milk.
Although it has been proven that dark chocolate is an effective home remedy or natural remedy for cough; one should remember that it is to be used only if the cough is caused due to any minor disorder. For e.g., if it caused due to common cold or viral throat infection. If the cough is accompanied by other symptoms like fever, body ache, nausea, vomiting, etc., you should consult the doctor and go for traditional treatment. It is essential to get the underlying condition of cough diagnosed properly before following any treatment or home remedy.
As we can see, the benefits of dark chocolate are actually proven which makes it one of the most effective home remedies for treating dry cough. However, before buying one, you should certainly read the ingredients and only go for the one with high amounts of cocoa and less sugar. Lastly, it is wise to consume dark chocolate in prescribed amounts. Take care!