Chocolate has been used for thousands of years, not only for its taste but also for its numerous health benefits. No, a chocolate bar will not help your bones grow big and strong. But when enjoyed in its purest form (without all of the added milk and sugar), chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins that our body needs to function properly.

Though most people prefer milk chocolate and its creaminess over dark chocolate, which is more bitter, the higher the percentage of cacao, the less processed the chocolate is likely to be—meaning it possesses a higher level of its beneficial ingredients. When consumed in moderation, chocolate with a cacao percentage of 75 percent or higher offers many of the same benefits that eating an apple would, only more. So go ahead—dip into your dark chocolate stash and reap these wellness benefits!

• Get a happy, healthy heart. Like other foods loaded with vitamins and flavonoids (antioxidants that help protect the body from cell damage), chocolate is proven to help reduce levels of bad cholesterol that can lead to things like plaque buildup in arteries and high blood pressure.

• Feel the mood-boosting magic. Research has found that when we consume a piece of chocolate, the feel-good chemical in our brain (dopamine) is released, reducing cortisol levels, which are responsible for feelings of stress and anxiety.

• Say goodbye to sun damage. You can't use melted chocolate as a replacement for sunscreen, but the same flavonoids that contribute to stronger heart health can also work wonders at protecting your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

• Be a brainiac. When we eat foods like chocolate that make us feel good, our blood gets pumping, and that means increased blood flow to the brain, too. This increase has been proven to help elevate brain function—especially in the elderly.

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Information courtesy of Harvard Health Publishing.