A healthy diet is important for any golfer looking to play their best. Without enough protein, carbs, fat and nutrients, you wouldn’t have the energy or strength to even swing a club.
Keeping that energy up during a round is even more important, which is why Tiger himself suggests snacking every few holes.
But eating healthy can also be hard at times. Who wants to chow down on fruits and vegetables when fries, cookies and ice cream taste so much better?
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If you feel like it’s difficult to satisfy your sweet tooth on or off the course, try adding some dark chocolate to your diet. A recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology showed that consuming dark chocolate in moderation is actually good for you.
“Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy,” said Dr. Chhayakrit Krittanawong of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
“Chocolate contains heart healthy nutrients such as flavanoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols and stearic acid, which may reduce inflammation and increase good cholesterol.”
For those of us without PhD’s, that means that chocolate contains tons of antioxidants that reduce inflammation, improve blood flow and boost your mood and concentration.
Can you imagine a better occasion for improving your mood and concentration than when you’re standing over a pressure-packed birdie putt with the match (or some money) on the line?
To reap the biggest benefit, dark chocolate is your best bet because it tends to have a higher amount of cocoa solids, which is where the antioxidants come from. The less processed the chocolate, the better as well, so look for products that have not been “Dutch processed.”
Next time you’re heading out to the course, make sure you add some chocolate to your mid-round snacks. At the very least, it will taste great and make you smile.
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