Chocolate and Your Health…What You Need to Know

Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Native to lowland, tropical South America, cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Central America and Mexico, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. The word “chocolate” is derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl which is a combination of the words, xocolli, meaning “bitter”, and atl, which is “water”. Basically, chocolate is a mixture of cocoa paste, cocoa butter, and sugar. Chocolate was first consumed as a beverage rather than eaten in a bar form.
Here are some claims of the health benefits of chocolates from different scientific studies and research.

  • The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.
  • Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a mild mood elevator.
  • The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.
  • The flavonoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.
  • Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
  • The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.
  • It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Due to the high levels of the saturated fatty acid called stearic acid which has been shown to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol) and flavonoids found in chocolate. According to scientific research, cocoa and chocolate may reduce heart disease risks by raising HDL “good” cholesterol; lowering blood pressure; prevent the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol that leads to formation of plaque in artery walls; and by its anti-inflammation and anti-clotting actions.
  • Dark chocolate has the most flavonoids, almost four times as many as milk chocolate, while white chocolate roughly nothing. Moreover, milk chocolate has substantially less antioxidant activity and white chocolate almost none at all. It is thought that milk interferes or decreases the absorption of antioxidant of chocolates. Most of the studies highlighted dark chocolate’s health values because it has the highest percentage of cocoa solids, therefore more flavanol antioxidants.
  • The healthiest chocolate is going to be that which contains the maximum cocoa solids and the minimum sugar. Dark chocolate containing 70% (or more) cocoa content is generally recognized as being the healthiest option, simply because it contains more chocolate and less sugar.