Is Dark Chocolate Good for You?

Other foods are just food. But chocolate is chocolate. (Patrick Skene Catling)

Dark Chocolate is Popular, but is it Good for You?

Once clear sign of Dark Chocolate’s popularity? The global market for dark chocolate is growing at 8% yearly, two percentage points faster than milk chocolate, which is increasing at 6%. There’s more to dark chocolate than just its taste – this popularity is increasing not only because it tastes good but because there is more cacao content in dark chocolate (and less sugar and milk), and higher percentages of cacao bestows greater potential health benefits. For example, antioxidants, fiber and vital minerals in dark chocolate can offer benefits ranging from good heart health to stabilizing our mood.

Dark Chocolate Nutrients: (What’s in your Chocolate Bar)

Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world’s perfect food. (Michael Levine)

Dark chocolate has two sides to it – the rich, sweet side we all love so much and the healthy side that most of us don’t think as much about. Dark chocolate is a nutritional powerhouse that can help the body function at its highest level.

Let’s discuss its fiber content. A dark chocolate bar has at least 65 – 85% cacao content. You can get up to 25% of your recommended daily intake of fiber of 25 – 30g per day from a chocolate bar. Fiber may be essential to keeping the digestive system healthy, and may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and even some kinds of cancer.

However, you can’t stop doing good right there. Again, dark chocolate also contains iron is a critical mineral to human health as it plays a role of distributing oxygen around the body. It prevents you from being too fatigued and keeps your immunity enhanced. Iron is also essential to have strong bones.

Dark chocolate also contains magnesium, which is vital for metabolism, heart rate, and bone mineralization.

Dark chocolate is also rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, flavonols, and catechins. These antioxidants are of great value because they give radicals of oxygen a chance to neutralize and protect the cells against damage, which can help prevent diseases.

So, the next time you savor a piece of dark chocolate, remember: indeed, you’re pleasing not only your cravings for sweet taste but also enjoying a source of many nutrients and minerals that may improve your health.

Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed. Chocolate makes it worthwhile. (Anonymous)

1) Lowering Blood Pressure

Studies indicate that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure owing to its high content of flavonoids. One hypothesis suggests a mechanism for this, as flavonoids in dark chocolate stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessels and improve blood flow, thereby reducing blood pressure.

2) Boosting Brain Function with Dark Chocolate

Need another reason to eat dark chocolate? The flavonoids in dark chocolate, accumulated in the brain areas, have been found to stimulate learning and remembering. These flavonoids may increase the flexibility of the brain and give longer lifetimes to brain cells. Such effects could help alleviate certain cognitive disorders like short-term memory loss. Want to do well on your next exam? Try eating chocolate while cramming the night before instead of loading up on coffee!

3) Sun Protection and Skin Health

Dark chocolate turns out it may be healthful for the outside of your body as well! The flavonoids present in dark chocolate can shield your skin against the sun. These antioxidants have been found to trap UV light, help to protect the skin, and improve blood flow, while hydrating it, and improving its appearance. More studies need to be done, but if you’re craving a treat while sunbathing, you might be doing your skin more good by opening a chocolate bar instead of buying that ice cream cone.

4) Mood and Sleep Improvements

Did you ever wonder why consuming dark chocolate can help you feel more happy? This is because dark chocolate has phenylethylamine (PEA), a chemical sometimes released by the brain when you feel loved.

The magnesium content of chocolate also stimulates serotonin production— a well-known neurotransmitter also dubbed the “feel good” hormone, because it helps stabilize mood, sleep pattern, appetite and other physiological activities. A small amount of dark chocolate can help some people have a good night’s sleep!

So listen up, the next time you eat dark chocolate, your heart and your brain might be thanking you. Now, isn’t that a good thing?

Choosing the Right Dark Chocolate: What Dark Chocolate is Good for You

Life is like chocolate: you should enjoy it piece for piece and let it slowly melt on your tongue. (Nina Sandmann)

The Darker, the Better: Understanding Cocoa Content

When it comes to dark chocolate, the rule of thumb is simple: the darker, the better. The main factor depends on the percentage of cocoa in it.

Dark chocolate is usually characterized by its 60-95% cocoa content, while that of milk and white chocolate less to none.

Dark Chocolate vs Milk Chocolate vs White Chocolate: The Chocolate Spectrum

Chocolate comes in many different forms. They are not equal.

White chocolate is at the furthest end of the “healthier chocolate spectrum” because it contains no cocoa, just sugar, cocoa butter and milk. Milk chocolate is in the middle because it contains sugar and milk together with cocoa. The dark chocolate that chocolate lovers prefer is on the other end of the spectrum: no milk, less sugar, and more cacao. Dark chocolate usually has more complex flavor profile because high quality cacao has more diverse flavors, such as bitterness, sweetness, and even fruitiness.

Milk and White Chocolate are more tempting (and harder to stop eating 🙂 due to the higher sugar content and Dark Chocolate is the best if you are looking to boost your intake of cacao nutrients and benefits.

Moderation is Key

While dark chocolate benefits are intriguing, it’s essential to remember that moderation is key. Like any other food, dark chocolate can be part of a healthy diet, but it shouldn’t be the main course!

While dark chocolate is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, it’s still high in calories, mainly due to the fat content. Paradoxically, when it comes to chocolate that contains sugar, the higher the cacao content, the higher the calories. A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa contains around 600 calories. That’s about 30% of the daily caloric intake for the average woman and 24% for the average man.

So, while it’s okay to enjoy some dark chocolate each day, eating too much is not a good idea. As with everything, balance is vital.

It’s worth noting that dark chocolate made without sugar helps lower overall calories because sugar yields 4 calories per gram. So a 65% dark chocolate like The Good Chocolate made without sugar should have about 30-40% fewer calories.

The Final Bite: Why Dark Chocolate is Healthy for You?

As we wrap up our delicious journey through the world of dark chocolate, let’s take a moment to savor the key takeaways:

• Heart Health: Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
• Brain Boost: The flavonoids in dark chocolate can also enhance brain function, and may improve memory, attention, and speed of processing.
• Skin Protection: The antioxidants in dark chocolate may help protect your skin from sun damage.
• Mood and Sleep: Dark chocolate contains compounds that may improve mood and promote better sleep.
• Choose Wisely: Not all dark chocolate is created equal. Look for high-quality dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa to enjoy cacao’s many benefits.
• Moderation is Key: Despite its benefits, dark chocolate is high in calories and should be enjoyed in moderation.
• Chocolate made without sugar can help lower the overall calorie count of chocolate.

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