Chocolate
an antibiotic and an antiplatelet (similar to aspirin), increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol, decreases LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and contains polyphenols that prevent DNA damage.
Cocoa also contains flavonoids and flavonols that prevent cell damage and inflammation and promote blood health. Chocolate’s health benefits come from cocoa– not added fillers or sugars – so the key is choosing a treat that has the highest percentage of cocoa.
How to select the healthiest chocolate
In its unprocessed state, chocolate is slightly bitter and acidic, which is why many chocolate manufacturers add sugar and other fillers to raise its pH level to neutral. Unprocessed or “raw” chocolate is better for you, so look for these keywords on the label and the percentage of cocoa or cacao the treat contains.
- Unsweetened chocolate contains 100% cocoa.
- Bittersweet or dark chocolate contains 35-99% cocoa.
- Milk chocolate contains at least 10% chocolate liquor.
- White chocolate contains no cocoa.
“The higher the percentage of cocoa, the more you can have of it,” he explains. “Low-cocoa chocolates are high in sugar and fillers, so those are the things to absolutely avoid.”
For example, a chocolate bar with 85% cocoa has less sugar than milk chocolate varieties and more heart-healthy cocoa butter. As a bonus, richer dark chocolate is usually more satisfying, meaning you can eat less
Cardiovascular disease is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases, heart failure, hypertensive heart
Improves cardiovascular health. Eating chocolate can help improve heart.
Improves Brain Function and Mood. Dark chocolate boasts several significant health benefits, including enhancing brain function. May improve brain function. Because of the beneficial effects on the vascular system, enjoying moderate amounts of high-cocoa dark chocolate regularly
Protects Skin Health. One of the top dark chocolate benefits for skin is attributed to its flavonol status and its ability to protect against sun damage. Chocolate is often viewed as a trigger for a number of skin issues such as acne, breakouts, and premature aging,
Antioxidants in dark chocolate can also improve skin health. They help protect it from sun damage and improve skin hydration and density,
A one-ounce serving of dark chocolate with 70 percent to 80 percent cacao solids (about 28.4 grams) contains approximately:
- Calories: 170
- Total Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Total Fat: 12.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 5.7 mg (0.3% DV*)
- Copper: 0.5 mg (56% DV)
- Manganese: 0.6 mg (26% DV)
- Iron: 3.4 mg (19% DV)
- Magnesium: 64.6 mg (15% DV)
- Zinc: 0.9 mg (8% DV)
- Phosphorus: 87.3 mg (7% DV)
- Potassium: 203 mg (4% DV)
- Selenium: 1.9 mcg (3% DV)
- Vitamin K: 2.1 mcg (2% DV)
- Calcium: 20.7 mg (2% DV)
Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.
Antioxidants are the compounds that are believed to neutralize free radicals and protect the body from damage and disease.
Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, including flavonoids and polyphenols. The cocoa, in particular, has actually been shown to have a high count of polyphenols and flavonoids that is even greater than wine and tea.
flavonol dark chocolate could increase blood flow to the brain, which could potentially aid in the treatment of cognitive conditions .
dark chocolate improves blood flow in the liver, and there are studies at the moment looking at whether dark chocolate can prevent liver damage.
It contains antioxidants, which can protect against oxidative stress and inflammation. Additionally, dark chocolate may improve heart health