So is chocolate the new super-food? Not quite but a growing body of evidence suggests chocolate may have more to offer than guilty pleasure. White chocolate is not known to have such effect. Hence, substitute dark chocolate for sugar-filled junk food with no nutritional benefits if there is an urge to snack.
Made from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, also known as cocoa beans, are exceptionally rich in flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants thought to help protect against cardiovascular disease.
Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have stimulating effect on body chemistry. These include:
Once harvested, cocoa beans are left to ferment before being dried, roasted and processed into the chocolate products we get. However, not all chocolates are created equal as most products undergo heavy processing, thus destroying many of the natural flavonoids.
Raw chocolate is high in cocoa butter, a fat which is removed during chocolate refining, but added back in varying proportions during the manufacturing process. Other contents such as fats, sugars and milk are also added to improve taste but contribute to higher calorie count.
Hearty Benefits
Spanish researchers believed that eating some dark chocolate after a meal can cap the rise of abdominal blood pressure, especially those with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension (can cause rupturing of blood vessels). Multiple studies also suggest that eating small amounts of dark chocolate may protect cardiovascular health in the following ways:
Improved endothelial function: Several small-scale studies have shown that dark chocolate may help keep arteries elastic and blood free-flowing by improving the function of the endothelial cells that line blood vessels. One study of male smokers revealed that only 2 hours after eating a small piece of dark chocolate, participants experienced a significant improvement in endothelial function that lasted up to 8 hours.
Reduced blood pressure: In a recent study involving men and women with high blood pressure, those who ate 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate every day for 15 days experienced a drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Results were similar in another study of people who were between the ages of 55 and 64 and had hypertension. The study participants who supplemented their diets with a daily dose of dark chocolate for 2 weeks experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure. However, after only 2 days without chocolate, their blood pressure readings returned to previous levels.
Improved cholesterol profile: Evidence suggests that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily may increase “good” HDL cholesterol while decreasing “bad” LDL cholesterol. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Research has shown the polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Chocolate contains three primary fats, one of which, oleic acid, is also found in olive oil. The other two fats in chocolate, stearic acid and palmitic acid, are both saturated fats. In general, saturated fats, including palmitic acid increase total cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease. Research shows, however, that unlike most saturated fats, stearic acid has no effect on cholesterol — it does not reduce or increase it.
Apart from having positive effect on the cardiovascular system, it may be anticancerous, improves cognitive ability, acts as a cough preventer and antidiarrhoeal activities.
Dark side of chocolate
+ Before you ditch your bowl of fruit for a huge plate of brownies, let us do a quick reality check. A small portion of dark chocolate several times a week can be included as part of a healthy diet. If you do not already eat chocolate, there is no legitimate health reason to start favoring it now. Chocolate not only is loaded with calories but also has far fewer health-boosting vitamins and minerals than fruit and vegetables do. It also contains caffeine, something that should be minimized in some people’s diets. As for some, chocolate may worsen premenstrual symptoms or trigger migraine headaches.
+ Cocoa and chocolate products have some of the highest levels of lead found in any food item. In contrast, fresh cocoa beans have some of the lowest levels of lead. The average lead concentration of cocoa beans was a very low ≤ 0.5 ng/g, one of the lowest reported values for a natural food. Lead concentration of chocolate was as high as 70 ng/g for chocolate products and 230 ng/g for manufactured cocoa.
The Final Verdict?
Research on the potential health benefits of chocolate reveals promising short-term results, but results from larger long-term trials are needed before we can truly determine the impact of chocolate consumption on cardiovascular health. So for now, your best bet for a healthy heart is to eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies and fruits, exercise regularly, and keep stress levels under control. No harm to treat yourself to a guilt-free piece of rich, dark chocolate if weight increase is not a problem for you.
Note for pet lovers…
In sufficient amounts, the theobromine found in chocolate is toxic to animals such as horses, dogs, parrots, small rodents, and cats because they are unable to metabolise the chemical effectively. If they are fed chocolate, the theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours, and these animals may experience epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding, and eventually death.
What is chocolate made up?
Made from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, also known as cocoa beans, are exceptionally rich in flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants thought to help protect against cardiovascular disease.
Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have stimulating effect on body chemistry. These include:
- Arginine
- Caffeine, present in smaller amounts
- Dopamine
- Oxalic acid
- Phenethylamine, an endogenous alkaloid sometimes described as a ‘love chemical; it is quickly metabolized by monoamine oxidase-B and does not reach the brain in significant amounts
- Tryptophan, an essential amino acid and precursor to serotonin
- Serotonin (gives the good effect)
- Sugar
- Theobromine, the primary alkaloid in cocoa solids and chocolate and partly responsible for chocolate’s mood-elevating effect
Once harvested, cocoa beans are left to ferment before being dried, roasted and processed into the chocolate products we get. However, not all chocolates are created equal as most products undergo heavy processing, thus destroying many of the natural flavonoids.
Raw chocolate is high in cocoa butter, a fat which is removed during chocolate refining, but added back in varying proportions during the manufacturing process. Other contents such as fats, sugars and milk are also added to improve taste but contribute to higher calorie count.
Hearty Benefits
Spanish researchers believed that eating some dark chocolate after a meal can cap the rise of abdominal blood pressure, especially those with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension (can cause rupturing of blood vessels). Multiple studies also suggest that eating small amounts of dark chocolate may protect cardiovascular health in the following ways:
Improved endothelial function: Several small-scale studies have shown that dark chocolate may help keep arteries elastic and blood free-flowing by improving the function of the endothelial cells that line blood vessels. One study of male smokers revealed that only 2 hours after eating a small piece of dark chocolate, participants experienced a significant improvement in endothelial function that lasted up to 8 hours.
Reduced blood pressure: In a recent study involving men and women with high blood pressure, those who ate 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate every day for 15 days experienced a drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Results were similar in another study of people who were between the ages of 55 and 64 and had hypertension. The study participants who supplemented their diets with a daily dose of dark chocolate for 2 weeks experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure. However, after only 2 days without chocolate, their blood pressure readings returned to previous levels.
Improved cholesterol profile: Evidence suggests that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily may increase “good” HDL cholesterol while decreasing “bad” LDL cholesterol. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Research has shown the polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Chocolate contains three primary fats, one of which, oleic acid, is also found in olive oil. The other two fats in chocolate, stearic acid and palmitic acid, are both saturated fats. In general, saturated fats, including palmitic acid increase total cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease. Research shows, however, that unlike most saturated fats, stearic acid has no effect on cholesterol — it does not reduce or increase it.
Apart from having positive effect on the cardiovascular system, it may be anticancerous, improves cognitive ability, acts as a cough preventer and antidiarrhoeal activities.
Dark side of chocolate
+ Cocoa and chocolate products have some of the highest levels of lead found in any food item. In contrast, fresh cocoa beans have some of the lowest levels of lead. The average lead concentration of cocoa beans was a very low ≤ 0.5 ng/g, one of the lowest reported values for a natural food. Lead concentration of chocolate was as high as 70 ng/g for chocolate products and 230 ng/g for manufactured cocoa.
The sources of lead in Nigerian cocoa products, which have become a concern, may conceivably include lead from local soils and rocks where the cocoa plant is grown; farming practices (e.g. the application of fertilizers, lead-containing pesticides, composts and other soil additives); atmospherically deposited lead; handling and processing of cocoa beans after harvesting (including drying in open air transportation, and storage); grinding and manufacturing processes (wear and tear of lead-soldered machine parts); mixtures and additives to final products; and packaging and wrapping material.
The presence of relatively high concentrations in a consumer product that is heavily marketed to children is a special concern, because children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning.
Research on the potential health benefits of chocolate reveals promising short-term results, but results from larger long-term trials are needed before we can truly determine the impact of chocolate consumption on cardiovascular health. So for now, your best bet for a healthy heart is to eat a balanced diet with lots of veggies and fruits, exercise regularly, and keep stress levels under control. No harm to treat yourself to a guilt-free piece of rich, dark chocolate if weight increase is not a problem for you.
Tips to eat right
Even if there is real benefits, it is really only dark chocolate, high in cocoa content that seems to work. Not white chocolate. Not milk chocolate. Only rich, dark chocolate.
To get the most bang for your bite:
- Choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70%.
- Enjoy chocolate in small portions a few times a week. An ounce or two is a sensible serving.
- Check the label. Avoid chocolate made with palm or coconut oils or any oil that has been hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.
- Do not drink milk with your chocolate. Studies show that milk may inhibit the body’s ability to absorb the chocolate’s antioxidants.
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