Is Chocolate Healthy for You
Is Chocolate Healthy for You
Are you a Fan of Chocolate? Well, you are not alone because a lot of us actually do. Chocolate is a great treat or a quick snack after a long day. You probably might have heard about the several health benefits of chocolate, especially dark chocolate. But how healthy is chocolate really? Hence, is chocolate healthy?
Studies show that cocoa, the major ingredient in chocolate, might have some health benefits. Studies also show that certain nutrients in cocoa could potentially boost brain function and improve heart health, especially in older adults.
According to researchers, this might be because of a compound called flavanols. Flavanols is found in high percentage in cocoa beans. The beans are dried up and further roasted to make the cocoa powder used in chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa and flavanols than other types of chocolate.
Health Benefits of Chocolate
It is important that you have a healthy relationship with your food as it helps the mind and body function properly. And, if you create a balanced relationship with chocolate, especially dark chocolate, then you will be impacting your health positively.
Just as stated previously, dark chocolate contains higher flavanol content. Milk chocolate contains a lesser amount, and white chocolate doesn’t contain any. Also, Dark chocolate has been proven to be a great source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium, and more. Below are some ways proven by research that chocolate can benefit you:
Increase Heart Health
Dark chocolate contains antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of clotting, and increase blood circulation to the heart, in the process reducing the risks of stroke, coronary heart disease, and death from heart disease.
Balances the Immune System
With flavanols, your immune system is prevented from going overdrive, and it reduces oxidative stress, which is an imbalance that is caused by your cells fighting against free radicals, causing a lot of diseases.
Fights Diabetes
Epicatechin's function is to protect, strengthen, and support the mechanisms that enable the body to use insulin more effectively, which may help prevent or fight diabetes.
Enhances Brain Activity
The brain function is positively impacted by the flavanol found in dark chocolate, and this includes better reaction time, stronger memory, and visual-spatial awareness. Although there is still ongoing research on this, one main reason this may be accurate is that flavanol increases the blood flow to the brain.
Increases Athletic Efficiency
The epicatechin found in dark chocolate causes an increase in the production of nitric oxide in the blood, and this supports circulation and lowers the amount of oxygen that an athlete consumes during a moderately intense session.
Reduces Stress
According to people who consume dark chocolate more often, they stated that they felt less stressed, and researchers confirmed that after consuming dark chocolate, they experience reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This might be because of the positive effect of dark chocolate on heart health since stress contributes to and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
What Makes Chocolate Unique
Like coffee, the chocolate journey begins on a cocoa tree. First, the cocoa is harvested from the tree as a cocoa pod. Then, the beans are fermented, roasted, and dried. The “nibs” are then harvested and ground into thick liquid called chocolate liquor that contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It is at this point that sugar, milk, or cocoa butter is added. Well, this depends on the type of chocolate.
Aside from having a rich taste and luxurious texture, chocolate is very special because of its unique combination of antioxidants and minerals. Chocolate contains magnesium, potassium, and a small amount of theobromine. There is also caffeine, which offers a gentle energy boost. In particular, dark chocolate is known for its high cocoa content and lower sugar levels, and this makes it more nutrient-dense than milk or white chocolate.
Facts About Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate options contain less sugar, so you are more likely to eat more compared to other chocolate. If you want to get the best or the most health benefits from dark chocolate, go for dark chocolate (70 – 80% cocoa) with the least amount of sugar. Below, I have listed some facts about dark chocolate and its health benefits.
The more cocoa content, the more flavanols the chocolate contains. A lot of the benefits found in research are associated with chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa content.
At the moment, there are no recommendations as to how much dark chocolate should be consumed to achieve these health benefits. According to experts, minimally processed dark chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cocoa should be consumed occasionally as a treat in ounces.
Always make sure to check the labels to be aware of the calorie, sugar, and fat content, as this could potentially alter the overall health benefits.
Chocolate can trigger migraines or acid reflux in some individuals.
Having a chocolate treat once in a while should not be associated with stress or guilt, whether it's white chocolate, which contains less nutritional value, or antioxidant-rich dark chocolate. Maintaining a balanced and positive outlook is the key to healthy living.
Chocolate Flavored Products
Products that contain solid cocoa, like some candies or coatings, are not chocolate, technically. There is a strict standard for what can be legally labeled as chocolate, and this includes certain minimum percentages of cocoa solids and cocoa butter for different types. If a product doesn’t meet the requirement, it is categorized under “chocolate flavored” or “Made with Chocolate.” So, when purchasing chocolate, make sure to watch out for these words on the packaging.
These products do not contain the nutrients and antioxidants that a chocolate has that makes it beneficial. Instead, they are usually made from sugar, artificial flavoring, vegetable oils, and milk solids, hence offering little to no health benefits. Some of the examples include chocolate-flavored syrups, candy coatings found on some non-premium chocolate bars, and chocolate-flavored spreads without a high cocoa content.
is Chocolate Bad for You
With its many great health benefits, it also has a downside. According to consumer reports, a story in December 2022 talks about reports of heavy metals found in several popular brands of dark chocolate. The thing is, our bodies naturally contain metals like iron, copper, and zinc. While these metals carry several health benefits, having too much of any of these metals can cause issues.
Heavy metals like lead and cadmium were found in some dark chocolates. Our metabolic functions and the way our organs perform can be interrupted by these metals. Some chocolate bars in the study carry levels of cadmium and lead that were considered unsafe and harmful to our health.
If you like eating chocolate regularly, like on a daily basis, then check out “consumer reports” list to see which ones you should choose. Just as stated in that article, there are tons of chocolate makers that produce chocolate that are low or contains low levels of these metals.