Chocolate: The Darker the Better
For the Health of It
Long touted as a sinful indulgence, a guilty pleasure, and a nutritional taboo, chocolate has gotten a bad rap. It has been eschewed by waistline watchers and shunned by dogmatic dieters. Now really, how could something so rich and luscious and satisfying be good for you? Aren’t I supposed to feel really guilty after I delight in this ambrosia? Well, the evidence is in and if you haven’t heard, dark chocolate has many health benefits.
It Grows on Trees
Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tropical cacao tree, theobroma cacao, named by the 17th century Swedish naturalist, Linnaeus. Theobroma is a Greek term meaning “food of the gods.” The cacao tree’s fruit pods, which look like small red or golden footballs, hold from 20 to 70 white beans about the size and shape of almonds.
The Aztecs, who were keenly aware of the stimulant and restorative properties of this mysterious, dark bean, and who esteemed its reputed ability to confer wisdom and vitality, used cacao beans to prepare a hot, frothy beverage called xocoatl, meaning bitter drink. Clearly what the Aztecs were savoring was the antecedent to today’s hot chocolate, sans the sugar and whipped cream.
Give Due
The latest findings are that chocolate makes blood vessels more flexible, adding to the already mounting evidence that chocolate may be good for the heart. According to Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., a registered dietitian at Pennsylvania State University, “New and yet-to-be-published studies are showing that antioxidants in chocolate––dark chocolate and cocoa powder––may increase “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent.” Furthermore, one of the fats in chocolate, stearic acid, can also boost HDL levels.
Prior studies had shown that chocolate contains polyphenols, the same type of antioxidants found in green tea and red wine, and flavonoids, which hinder blood clotting and reduce the threat of coronary artery blockages. Flavonoids are also thought to fight the cell-damaging effects of oxidation. Oxidation causes the formation of free radicals, or unstable molecules, which are the prime causes of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and immune system suppression.
If this isn’t enough to ward off any guilt, dark chocolate contains cocoa phenols, compounds known to lower blood pressure. According to Daniel DeNoon, medical journalist, “Chocolates made in Europe are generally richer in cocoa phenols than those made in the U.S. So if you're going to try this at home, remember, darker is better.”
And yes, there is a reason why we reach for the dark stuff when we’re down. Chocolate contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant. Consumption of chocolate also triggers the release of endorphins, feel-good molecules that give us the happy rush, explaining that warm inner glow induced in susceptible chocoholics.
Hold the Milk
Please notice that I haven’t mentioned milk chocolate. Or white chocolate. Milk and white chocolate have a much lower cocoa content than dark chocolate and it’s the cocoa that packs the health-giving punch. Also, the added milk solids and sugar can kill the taste, purity, and aroma of the cocoa, often rendering milk chocolate less flavorful, healthy, and satisfying than its dark counterpart.
Dark chocolate can either be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet, or unsweetened and may contain up to 12% milk. Your ideal chocolate indulgence would contain at least 70% cocoa, unlike milk chocolate’s mere 10-20%. Look for high-quality chocolate that is glossy and breaks cleanly. The best stuff comes out of France, Belgium, and Venezuela, but if you’re unsuccessful in locating the imports, find a domestic brand with a high cocoa content. Better yet, go local and enjoy chocolates from one of these fine Kansas City chocolatiers:
Christopher Elbow
www.elbowchocolates.com
Andre’s Confiserie Suisse
www.andreschocolates.com
Panache Chocolatier
www.chocolatekc.com
A Dab’ll Do Ya
Good quality dark chocolate is so richly delicious that a single piece can be a satisfying snack or after dinner treat. There’s nothing wrong with having an ounce a few times a week. So go ahead and enjoy, no guilt necessary.
Read more about Panache Chocolatier.
Jill McLaughlin is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York and a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. She has a private health counseling practice, with specialized knowledge in weight loss without deprivation and struggle, women's health, osteoporosis, hypoglycemia and diabetes, candida, energy issues, and acidic conditions. Find out more about her personalized nutritional approach at www.wellnessthreesixty.com. She can also be reached at jm@wellnessthreesixty.com.
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