February 1st is National Dark Chocolate Day! Not sure if I need a national holiday to justify eating dark chocolate, but should we eat dark chocolate more often to gain the health benefits as athletes?

In 2015, a study revealed that dark chocolate provides similar benefits to beetroot juice to improve sports performance. Beetroot juice is rich in nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitrates help to dilate blood vessels, regulate muscle contraction, and reduce oxygen demands, allowing athletes to perform longer during submaximal exercise. Dark chocolate contains a substance called epicatechin, a type of flavanol found in the cacao bean, that increases nitric oxide production in the body to potentially decrease cardiovascular risk and improve sports performance.