Good News for Chocolate Lovers!
When you think of antioxidants you usually think of blueberries, raspberries, red wine and pomegranate, but good news folks cocoa beats them all hands down. The USDA recently published a chart of the antioxidant value of foods expressed in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)[1] Units highlighting the exceptional value of cocoa. For every 100 grams, cocoa has 55,653 ORACs[2] while blueberries only have 9,621 ORACs[3]. The health-promoting benefits are so remarkable that chocolate is being explored as a functional food.[4]
Now if you’re hoping that you’ll read that your favorite chocolate bar from the candy store is the new health food craze, well that’s just not the case. However, there are many alternative choices to be found, and plenty of healthful recipes to fill the void and satisfy the senses.
Some of the various benefits of cocoa include reducing the risk of stroke[5]and blood clots, improved blood vessel health and increasing blood flow to arteries, lowering high blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels[6], boosting cognitive performance all while providing vital nutrients. Cocoa itself contains various essential minerals including calcium, iron, potassium, copper, selenium and magnesium. The consumption of flavonoid-rich cocoa was also linked to the reduction of risk factors associated with diabetes, which is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Chocolate contains fat a.k.a. cocoa butter, which is a fat extracted from roasted and crushed cocoa beans. Cocoa butter itself is composed of saturated fats and unsaturated fats, 75% are unsaturated fats made-up of oleic and stearic acids. These are the components that give cocoa its cholesterol busting abilities. While 25% is still the “bad kind” of fat, the ratio of good vs. bad fat in chocolate seems to counteract the effects of the potential bad properties.
So if your favorite chocolate bar isn’t the answer, what is? Well it’s choosing dark chocolate, anything 70% and over, or using cocoa itself. One choice is cocoa nibs that offer a perfect way to incorporate the health benefits of cocoa without the added sugars. Toss them into various recipes or you can even toss them in your favorite fruit smoothie. The darker the chocolate the higher the percentage of the healthy antioxidant cocoa it contains.
Along with the many established benefits cocoa has on cardiovascular health, it also has been proven to have significant impact on cognition and behavior[7]. The absorbed flavonoids are found to work in two ways. First directly interacting with cells promoting improved brain connectivity and secondly through blood flow improvement in the brain and sensory systems. Long-term effects of flavanol consumption showed marked improvement in neurocognition and behavior including age related cognitive decline.
Additionally, cocoa contains phenethylamine, a neurotransmitter found in the brain that acts as a mood elevator and as a natural antidepressant. As such, cocoa may also have the ability to boost endorphins, which are responsible for the elated feelings achieved after exercising, laughing or having sex. Cocoa may also boost serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that antidepressants target in order to boost overall happiness levels. These coordinated effects all explain why chocolate is often what many of us crave when we’ve had a stressful day and are looking for something to helps us wind down.
While chocolate has many positive aspects, there is a one cautionary note. One of cocoa’s key components theobromine is the element responsible for enlarging blood vessels that in turn helps to lower blood pressure. Ironically theobromine is the same factor that renders chocolate poisonous for our canine friends. So although our comic strip below portrays a beloved PuppyDuck character consuming hot cocoa, his canine side would reject this. Theobromine can over stimulate a dog’s cardiac and nervous system leading to death. A serving of chocolate as small as 2 ounces can prove to be a fatal dose for a 10-lb puppy.
Are you a white chocolate lover? Sadly, for white chocolate fans none of this applies. Technically, white chocolate is not really chocolate because it lacks cocoa powder. It most likely acquired its name because its ingredients include cocoa butter derived from cacoa seeds. So for true chocolate aficionados whom are offended by the white chocolate reference they may justifiably argue it’s not entitled to the name.
Bottom line is that white chocolate does not provide any of the benefits of cocoa discussed here, because it lacks cocoa. The flavonoids contained in chocolate known as flavonols and procyanidins, are contained in the cocoa solids, once again not found in white chocolate. The basic ingredients of white chocolate ordinarily include sugar, cocoa butter, milk, soy lecithin and natural or artificial flavors leaving it an inadequately matched as it lacks any cocoa laden health properties.
Milk chocolate, is another poor example although not as bad. It contains about 30 to 40 percent cocoa solids, while dark chocolate contains a minimum of 50 to 85 percent cocoa. Again the darker the chocolate, the less room for added sugars and fats, and a higher allotment of antioxidants.
Nevertheless as white chocolate and milk chocolate remain off the list of healthy snacks, another snack alternative could be dark chocolate covered nuts. Not only do you get the benefits of healthy dark chocolate, but nuts are also loaded with protein. Protein is essential for healthy brain and muscle function and nuts are a great protein substitute for vegetarians. Nuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and fiber. So along with the added benefits of chocolate, chocolate dipped nuts are a great snack choice.
While on your quest to satisfy that sweet tooth, your search doesn’t have to come with all the usual guilt if you choose wisely. If you move past the common choices you can satisfy that chocolate craving while reaping a few health benefits lightening the guilt of your indulgence. Making smart choices and choosing healthy portion sizes can benefit your health and your heart…your love of chocolate that is.