Chocolate – Delicious or Detrimental?

If the Easter Bunny recently made a stop by your house, chances are he left a basketful of pure sugar. Chances are also very good that whatever chocolate was included in that basket was of the milk chocolate variety.

Now, I’m not going to deny that eating an entire milk chocolate Easter bunny is a delicious experience. But I am going to point out that, when it comes to indulging our sweet tooth, a much healthier option is to choose dark chocolate instead.

You see, while milk chocolate taste great, it’s a commercially processed treat laden with preservatives and chemical additives, as well as high amounts of sugar and fat. It offers no health benefits, in fact, quite the opposite actually. Compare that to dark chocolate, which is also delicious (though an acquired taste for some) yet comes with numerous health benefits, and you see why it’s clearly the better choice.

So let’s take a look at some of the health benefits dark chocolate offers.

Behold the flavonoids

Dark chocolate contains a lot of flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants. But it gets even better. According to a Georgetown University Medical Center study, the specific kind of flavonoids found in dark chocolate have been found to be capable of preventing the growth of breast cancer cells.

Dark chocolate and weight loss

Are you sitting down? Because your dream of being able to eat chocolate and STILL lose weight may have just come true.

A Pennsylvania State University study found that the procyanidins and polyphenols in dark chocolate can be beneficial in weight management. These two chemicals are capable of preventing the breakdown of specific digestive enzymes, which results in decreased fatty acids in the blood. So, while you employ a lower-calorie diet and moderate exercise, consider eating a bit of dark chocolate every day to help you shed some pounds.

How can that be, you may be wondering? Like milk chocolate, dark chocolate is also a high fat food. The difference is that most of the fats in dark chocolate are monounsaturated – the beneficial kind. Beyond that, this food contains significant amounts of oleic acid, a chemical crucial for a healthy heart, immune system and optimal brain function.

The fountain of youth?

Let’s go back to those flavonoids, AKA powerful antioxidants. Studies have actually found dark chocolate to have higher antioxidant content than even powerhouse fruits like blueberries and acai berries. As you know, the aging process is a result of oxidative stress and cellular damage caused by free radicals. The more antioxidants you can get into your diet, the better chance you have of fighting inflammation and the whole aging process.

Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure

Those beneficial flavonoids also do some serious benefit towards reducing hypertension over time. Admit it, wouldn’t you rather eat a little bit of dark chocolate than pop a pill every day?

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Dark chocolate improves your mood

Studies have shown that eating chocolate can make us feel calmer and happier. This is most likely thanks to the chemical known as phenylethylamine (or PEA), the same chemical your brain creates when you fall in love. PEA causes our brain to release endorphins, the feel-good hormones, which make us feel goooooood.

Things to be aware of

Having listed so many health benefits, you may be tempted to go to the nearest grocery store and load your cart with dark chocolate bars – but wait – there are some things you need to take into consideration.

For instance, though dark chocolate contains significantly higher cocoa content than milk or white chocolate, giving it its characteristic bitter taste, dark chocolate still contains some processed sugar. So, while it offers the many health benefits I already mentioned, a one-hundred gram serving could contain the entire recommended daily intake of sugar. As you know, excessive sugar can result in obesity and diabetes, so use your head when having this treat.

Cocoa also contains measurable amounts of caffeine, which, in large doses can cause anxiety and insomnia, among other symptoms.

As I mentioned earlier, most of the fat found in dark chocolate is the good kind, monounsaturated, but it does contain a bit of saturated fat as well. The key to gaining the benefits of dark chocolate is to eat it in moderation.

Choosing the right dark chocolate

Since the first reports came out about the benefits of dark chocolate, it seems everyone and their mother has put out a chocolate bar or hot cocoa mix. This makes it confusing when it comes time to selecting one that is truly good for you. First of all, always opt for an organic brand so you can be sure that none of the ingredients have been compromised by pesticide use.

Also, because you want to get as many of those powerful flavonoids as you can, look for dark chocolate that has used the cold manufacturing process. This process also results in chocolate that does not contain harmful sweeteners.

3 Creative ways to get more dark chocolate into your diet

Sure, you can just break a chunk off of a chocolate bar, but that can get real boring real fast. So here are 3 other ways you can get this sweet and healthy treat into your diet:

Add it to a fruit plate

In my house I try and make a nice fruit plate for dessert so we can get our sweet fix in a healthy way. About a year ago I started shaving a little bit of chocolate curls onto the plate as well. Incredibly delicious and your kids will love it. Once they get used to it not being milk chocolate that is!

Add it to your morning oatmeal

I’m one of those people who likes to have a big bowl of oatmeal in the morning during winter months. As you know, oatmeal is great for you. If you like oatmeal as well, try grating some dark chocolate on top. As the kids would say – OMG.

Add it into pancakes and waffles

My kids love when I add bits of dark chocolate to their breakfast pancakes and waffles, Heck I love it too.

I’ve said it before but allow me to reiterate: dark chocolate can be incredibly healthy for you and offers numerous benefits. But use your head and enjoy in moderation!