Benefits of Dark Chocolate

- Dark chocolate contains many nutrients, that can positively affect health.

Now, studies suggest that this can have many benefits for us, and I'm going to look at the top four with you now.

Be sure to stay with me to the end, because we're gonna do a comparison, between dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate is very nutritious.

The chocolate in cocoa comes from the seed, of the cacao tree, which is very rich in nutrients.

So, the more cocoa in the chocolate, the better.

A 50 gram or 1.7-ounce bar of dark chocolate, with 70% to 85% cocoa contains roughly five grams of fiber, about 30% of the RDA for iron and magnesium, about 45% of the RDA for copper and manganese.

It's also got plenty of potassium and phosphorus, zinc and selenium.

And it's rich in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavanols.

Note that 50 grams is a fairly large amount, so it also contains about 300 calories and moderate amounts of sugar.

Hence why you still shouldn't binge on dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate may lower blood pressure.

The flavanols in dark chocolate appear to lower blood pressure by the same mechanism, like ACE inhibitors, blood pressure medications.

A large analysis of 20 previous studies concluded, that consumption of cocoa, usually very dark chocolate, or cocoa supplement, is associated with a small
two to a three-point reduction in systolic blood pressure, which is the top number on a blood pressure reading.

An earlier analysis of 13 relevant studies, made a similar conclusion, noting that cocoa products
were most effective in those with high blood pressure, or prehypertension.

So basically, it's only effective in those, who already have existing high blood pressure.

Dark chocolate raises HDL and protects LDL against oxidation.

In a controlled trial, cocoa powder, was found to significantly decrease, oxidized LDL cholesterol in men.

It also increased the so-called "good" HDL cholesterol, and lowered total "bad" LDL, in men with elevated cholesterol.

Oxidized LDL means that the so-called "bad" LDL particles have reacted with free radicals.

This is thought to make it capable of damaging other tissues, such as the lining of the arteries in your heart.

Given the beneficial effects on blood pressure and cholesterol, it's no surprise, that many long-term observational studies show, high cocoa consumption is linked, with a fairly drastic improvement to heart health.

Dark chocolate may improve brain function.

The good news isn't over yet.

The cocoa in dark chocolate may also significantly improve, cognitive function in elderly people.

A double-blind controlled trial of 90 elderly individuals, found that high doses of cocoa flavanols reduced some measures of age-related cognitive dysfunction and improved verbal fluency after eight weeks of supplementation.

Cocoa also contains stimulant substances, like caffeine and theobromine, which may be a key reason cocoa can improve brain function at least in the short term.

So, to top it off, I wanted to compare the nutrient profile, of dark chocolate versus milk chocolate.

Here we have 30 grams or one ounce of 70% to 85% dark chocolate listed on the left of the picture , and milk chocolate on the right.

Now, according to Calorie King, dark chocolate has 179 calories or 750 kilojoules and 7.2 grams of sugar.

Now, the same amount of milk chocolate has 15.5 grams of sugar, which is more than double, and not to mention half of the potassium and a fraction of the flavanols.

So basically, the lower the percentage of cocoa, the higher the sugar.

Now, digging a bit deeper, it seems that all these health benefits, are only seen in dark chocolate or cocoa extract, equivalent to about 500 to 1000 milligrams of flavanols per day.

That's equal to about 25 to 40 grams or roughly one ounce, of 85% or more dark chocolate.

Any chocolate less than that, the health effects will be canceled out by the amount of added sugar , that has to be added to that product.

So, it pays to shop around and find a variety that you like.