Happy Valentines Day! How about some red wine and dark chocolate?

I buy the hype!  Drink some red wine and eat some dark chocolate!  Dr. Oz talks about the benefits, it must be good, right???  PLEASE remember, moderation is the key to consuming these yummy treats.  6 oz of red wine is a serving and 1.5 oz of dark chocolate is a serving.  They both are not considered "low cal" so keep your portions small. 

Dark chocolate 70% cocoa or more: studies suggest that it may reduce the risk of diseases from heart disease to cancer.  Dark chocolate with cocoa is particularly high in flavonoids which are antioxidants that help protect your heart by not allowing harmful free radicals to oxidize and turn into a harmful illness.  Clinical trials reveal that dark chocolate has been shown to reduce harmful plaque in the arteries. 

Red Wine benefits:

• Red wine helps regulate the cholesterol levels in the blood, by reducing the LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and increasing the HDL levels (good cholesterol).
• Drinking wine has been shown to help prevent the formation of plague, or blockage, along the arteries and thus protects against cardiovascular diseases.
• The presence of antioxidant compounds in red wine helps prevent cancer formation, by neutralizing dangerous free radicals in the body.