We can probably all agree that chocolate is absolutely delicious. But do you sometimes feel a bit guilty about eating it? The great news is that you really shouldn’t feel guilty! Chocolate can be a fabulous part of a healthy diet; just use moderation and watch out for the type of chocolate you choose to eat.
What are the chocolate options?
Cocoa solids come from cocoa beans, which are the seeds of a cocoa tree. The beans are harvested, dried, fermented and then roasted. The roasted beans are ground to release the smooth cocoa butter which is then mixed with varying quantities of sugar, milk and other flavours and preservatives. It is the high levels of cocoa in dark chocolate that give it its health benefits. Cocoa is packed full of nutrients including essential minerals and soluble fibre.
Mass-produced milk chocolate tends to have high levels of added refined sugar and vegetable fats including palm oil as well as emulsifiers and flavourings. It tends to have a low percentage of cocoa solids.
On the other hand, dark chocolate (over 70% cocoa solids), will have less sugar (remember there is still some sugar, even at 90%) and more goodness. You can buy chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar, which is much better than refined sugar as it is less disruptive to your blood sugar.
Raw cacao usually is found as nibs (tiny pieces of a cocoa bean) and powder and this is even better than standard dark chocolate as the cocoa beans have not been roasted. Raw cacao is thought to have more antioxidants than other “super food” fruits such as the juice from acai, blueberries, cranberries and pomegranate. It also usually has higher levels of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium and fibre.
So, always read the labels to assess what you are actually buying and try and get the best quality you can – raw and a high percentage cocoa solid is ideal.
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What are the health benefits of dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate is a source of powerful antioxidants
Dark chocolate is loaded with organic compounds that are biologically active and function as antioxidants which repair your cells after infection or injury. These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins. Antioxidants protect your cells against the effects of free radicals (molecules your body produces when it breaks down food, and undertakes other natural processes), preventing damage to your tissues and to your DNA.
Dark chocolate is full of essential minerals
As long as the dark chocolate you choose contains 70% or more cocoa it will be a great source of iron, magnesium, copper and manganese plus it also contains plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. These minerals are necessary to maintain normal function of our body, such as balancing hormones, making neurotransmitters and regulating our immune system.
Dark chocolate may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease
Strong evidence from research studies shows eating dark chocolate can improve several important risk factors for heart disease. In a controlled trial, cocoa powder was found to significantly decrease oxidised LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein, often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’) in men. It also increased HDL (high density lipoprotein, often referred to as ‘good cholesterol’), in men with elevated cholesterol.
Cocoa also reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing blood pressure. The flavanols in the cocoa can stimulate the lining of arteries, to produce the gas Nitric Oxide. One of the functions of Nitric Oxide is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers resistance to blood flow and therefore reduces blood pressure.
Research has also found that dark chocolate can reduce insulin resistance by altering glucose metabolism. Insulin resistance is another common risk factor for heart disease, along with other metabolic diseases.
Dark chocolate can protect your skin
Studies show that the flavanols in cocoa can improve blood flow to the skin and protect it against sun-damage. The increased blood flow to the skin can also improve skin quality and hydration and may also help to reduce fine lines.
Dark chocolate can help with chronic fatigue
One small study found that people who consumed 15g of 85% dark chocolate three times daily for 8 weeks improved their chronic fatigue symptoms. The placebo group also ate chocolate with similar levels of calories and glycaemic index (and neither group put on weight), so it is likely that the improvement was due to the high polyphenol content within the active chocolate, rather than a difference in the micro or macronutrient composition of the two chocolates.
Anecdotally, two people who undertook this study were able to return back to work after having had their chronic fatigue symptoms for around two years, and chose to continue consuming high cocoa solid chocolate going forward.
Dark chocolate could improve brain function
Several studies have found that consuming high-flavanol cocoa improves blood flow to the brain. It can help to provide a constant oxygen and glucose supply to neurons. Cocoa may also significantly improve cognitive function and verbal fluency in elderly people with mental impairment.
Younger adults can benefit too, and in one study eating 50g of chocolate helped memory and executive function in 18-50 year olds.
Teenagers and children can also benefit from eating dark chocolate. A study found that children eating dark chocolate or cocoa gained greater mental acuity both in the short term as well as if it becomes a regular habit. Eating chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids can improve cognitive function and enhance neuroplasticity in youngsters. Neuroplasticity is brain cell repair after a head injury like a concussion or low-grade brain fog after an infection.
Chocolate may work together with some neurotransmitter systems such as dopamine. Chocolate contains the dopamine precursor tyrosine, and this may be why some people with ADHD crave and thrive on eating dark chocolate. Cacao solids also play a role in the synthesis of serotonin, which contributes to appetite and mood regulation. Animal studies have found antidepressant effects from the cacao flavanols.
Cocoa contains the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. This may be a key reason that cocoa can improve brain function in the short term. However, it is a good reminder not to eat dark chocolate too close to bedtime as the sugar and caffeine could affect your sleep.
Roundup
There is a considerable amount of evidence that dark chocolate can provide powerful health benefits. I personally think it is amazing stuff and helps give me long sustained focus and energy. It keeps me cheery and eating a few squares of dark chocolate lights up my day with zero guilt in tow!
- Cacao seeds are a “Super Fruit”: A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products
- How do dietary flavanols improve vascular function? A position paper – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Plasma LDL and HDL cholesterol and oxidized LDL concentrations are altered in normo- and hypercholesterolemic humans after intake of different levels of cocoa powder – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Blood Pressure Is Reduced and Insulin Sensitivity Increased in Glucose-Intolerant, Hypertensive Subjects after 15 Days of Consuming High-Polyphenol Dark Chocolate1,2,3 – The Journal of Nutrition
- Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the Zutphen Elderly Study – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with prevalent coronary heart disease: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Cocoa Flavanol Supplementation Influences Skin Conditions of Photo-Aged Women: A 24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial
- The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on the fMRI response to a cognitive task in healthy young people – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Benefits in Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure, and Insulin Resistance Through Cocoa Flavanol Consumption in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment | Hypertension (ahajournals.org)
- Methylxanthines are the psycho-pharmacologically active constituents of chocolate | SpringerLink
- High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate may reduce the burden of the symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome
- The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance
- Consumption of cocoa flavanols results in an acute improvement in visual and cognitive functions
- Benefits of flavanol-rich cocoa-derived products for mental well-being: A review
- Your brain on chocolate
- Chocolate consumption, cognitive function, and Nobel laureates
- Enhancing Human Cognition with Cocoa Flavonoids
- Chocolate and the brain: neurobiological impact of cocoa flavanols on cognition and behavior
- Effects of Cocoa-Derived Polyphenols on Cognitive Function in Humans. Systematic Review and Analysis of Methodological Aspects
- Effect of Cocoa and Cocoa Products on Cognitive Performance in Young Adults
