1 of 17

Write now Article Tools

Chocoholics, take heart! According to research, your favorite treat is more than just a guilty pleasure. It appears as though chocolate especially the dark variety - is actually good for you and can enhance your overall well-being in a myriad of ways.

UC Davis studies conducted from 2000-06 found the popular snack food to be rich in vital minerals, including magnesium, calcium, copper and potassium. Additionally, the studies showed chocolate contains properties that lower cholesterol, boost the immune system and improve cardiovascular health.

Carl L. Keen, professor of nutrition and internal medicine at UC Davis, said more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of dark chocolate on health. However, in the short-term, he said there is solid evidence that it is an important addition to a well-balanced diet.

"We have found that most of the health benefits in chocolate are directly related to something called flavanols," said Keen, who oversees a chocolate research group at UC Davis. "There has been growing research that flavanols have positive effects on the cardiovascular system.

"We are also learning that flavanols can increase blood flow to the brain, which can result in influencing the mood. The research is provocative and exciting."

Flavanols occur naturally in plant-based foods like cocoa beans, apples, grapes and tea. These compounds act as powerful antioxidants to help rid the body of free radicals. (Free radicals are reactive chemicals that can damage important cellular molecules such as DNA.) Research has shown flavanol antioxidants are particularly high in dark chocolate, which contains nearly 50 percent more of them than milk chocolate.

Based on these findings, many chocolate companies have developed new candy bars with higher percentages of cocoa to maximize the health benefits. The bars range from 50 percent to 98 percent cocoa.

"The suggestion is that the more cocoa in processed chocolate, the more flavanols it contains," said Keen. "But if the chocolate is not processed correctly, it may lose a lot of its nutritional value.

"For instance, there is a form of processing called Dutching where an alkaline treatment is used to modify the flavor and color of the product. When this method is used, it destroys the flavanols."

Keen said there is no industry standard used for grading the quality of chocolate. However, finer chocolate typically contains natural ingredients cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, and soy lecithin as a thickening and smoothing

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about The health benefits of chocolate?
We want to hear your view. Write now!