Chocolate chocolate chip ice cream, Godiva chocolate candy, chocolate covered pretzels, Hershey kisses, hot cocoa…..everything is better with chocolate. I have read and heard that chocolate is good for your health…..healthy chocolate? It’s a dream come true for me. Unfortunately, I don’t believe chocolate has yet to gain the reputation of a health food. However, there have a number of studies that suggest chocolate can be good for your heart.
Chocolate and cocoa, appear to reduce risk for heart disease. Flavanols found in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage in heart disease. Dark chocolate has more flavanol than milk chocolate or white chocolate. They can also help lower blood pressure and improve circulation. In addition, some research has found that chocolate consumption can reduce the risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack.
However, the evidence for the health benefits of chocolate comes mostly from short-term and uncontrolled studies. More research is needed.
In the meantime, if you want to add chocolate to your diet, do so in moderation. Why? Most commercial chocolate has ingredients that add fat, sugar and calories. And too much can contribute to weight gain, which can be a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
Choose dark chocolate with cocoa content of 65 percent or higher.
Limit yourself to around 3 ounces a day, which is the amount some studies have shown to be helpful. Because this amount may provide up to 450 calories, you may want to cut calories in other areas or step up the exercise to compensate.
So the next time I bite into that chocolate covered caramel from Bromilows, I won’t feel so guilty!
Adapted from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.. Mayo Clinic