This Is What Happens When You Eat Dark Chocolate Every Day

If you're the kind of chocoholic who needs to satisfy your sweet tooth each and every day, there's a way for you to use those cravings to your advantage. All you need to do is move over to the dark side — the dark chocolate side that is.

The reason dark chocolate lights up so many lives is because studies have revealed that dark chocolate contains a wealth of health benefits. For instance, dark chocolate has an ample supply of antioxidants known as flavonoids, which can be helpful in preventing cell damage and reducing the chances of heart disease. Dark chocolate also contains crucial vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc (via Medical News Today).

But is dark chocolate really so good for you that you can eat it every day? According to WebMD, eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day is not only not bad for you — it can be really good for you. For example, the results of one study examining the health benefits of dark chocolate showed that the flavonoids had a significant positive impact on the trial's participants. "This is the longest clinical trial to date to show improvement in blood vessel function from consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate daily over an extended period of time," said Mary Engler, Ph.D., RN, of the University of California, San Francisco in a news release. "Better blood flow is good for your heart," she added.

Dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate — bar none. The reason is because milk chocolate contains a lower amount of the original cacao. It's the original cacao bean that's packed with all the nutritional benefits, so when you dilute the cacao and add milk and sugar, you reduce the positive health impacts (via Shape).

If you're looking to pack the most nutritional value into your dark chocolate munching, you should know that not all dark chocolate is made the same. Kelly Kennedy, RD, the staff nutritionist at Everyday Health, says that you should look for chocolate bars that contain at least 60% cacao. The higher the percentage of cacao, the more you will reap the health benefits and the less likely there will be additives like milk and sugar.

So for all of you chocoholics out there — you can feel good about eating a few squares of dark chocolate every day. Perhaps it may even help keep the doctor away.