If you’re a sweets and candy kind of person, then you’re probably a lover of that cocoa goodness. Chocolate comes in so many forms; cake, cookies, bars, milk, ice cream, cereal and more. It also comes in different flavors such as white, milky, dark, with caramel, with peanut butter, nuts, etc. It looks as though when it comes to chocolate, there are so many endless possibilities and even though that can seem like a good thing to hear when talking about all the concoctions you can create, it can have some lifelong affecting factors as well. As good as chocolate may taste, it can be very bad for your health. It can cause the development of diabetes, heart complications, obesity and even fibroids.
Food And Fibroids
So what is a fibroid? A fibroid is a non-cancerous (benign) hormone tumor of the uterus that forms on the uterine wall. When fibroids develop, they usually cause extreme bleeding from the vagina, erratic menstrual cycles and a lot of pain.
There are many reasons why fibroids can develop on the uterus, one reason can be the genetic changes that your body may endure.
Another reason why your body may develop fibroids is because of hormones.
With that understanding, certain foods that you consume can cause the development of fibroids. This is because certain foods can trigger that development.
For example, consuming sugar-filled food and drinks such as soda, juices with high fructose corn syrup or potato chips and sugary candy can cause your sugar levels to increase.
Once your sugar levels rise and continue to increase, the body will start functioning differently because it cannot process all the sugar being consumed. This can cause complications such as fibroids.
Why Chocolate Can Cause The Development Of Fibroids
Food can cause the development of fibroids for different reasons. When it comes to the things we consume, chocolate can be one of the main reasons why fibroids will develop on the uterine wall. This is because chocolate and hormones go hand in hand. Chocolate can affect your hormone balance and raise your estrogen levels.
Chocolate is a part of a group of compounds called catechins. This group of phenolic compounds includes tea, berries and cocoa and chocolate comes from cocoa.
Chocolate can also be classified as a phytoestrogen, which is similar to estrogen compounds that travel in the bloodstream. This is what makes it risky to consume often because it spikes estrogen and hormone levels in the body, which will cause fibroid development.
Eating These Foods Will Help You In The Long Run
When it comes to food and fibroids, though you have to be mindful of what and how much of it you are consuming, you shouldn’t hyper-focus on it. Once you learn what to eat, why you should eat it and how it can benefit you, you’ll realize that there are ways to help prevent fibroids from developing.
Foods such as salmon, tuna, eggs, and certain cereals are filled with vitamin D, along with other dairy products. Vitamin D helps reduce the risk of fibroids. Foods such as fruit (raw, cooked or dried), oats, vegetables (raw or cooked), whole grain pasta and bread all contain fiber. Fiber is good for you because it also helps prevent and reduce the risk of fibroids. Foods rich in potassium are great to consume as well because they lower the risk of development and help balance out your blood pressure.
Food You Should Avoid To Prevent Fibroids
Unfortunately, chocolate is one of those delicious treats that you should avoid consuming often in order to prevent fibroids. Other foods such as red meat, soybeans, alcohol, soy milk, white rice, bread and pasta, certain energy bars and even tofu are foods that you should avoid or lower the amount you consume in order to prevent fibroids. This is not to say you can never eat these foods again, but you need to be mindful of your consumption. Too much of anything can lead to a health risk, so just take a little more time when figuring out your diet and finding what works for your taste buds and your health.
