Chocolate is often considered one of life’s luxuries and “guilty” pleasures. But if you know the biology behind chocolate and how it actually benefits your health, guilty can become good for you.
According to Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront Head Chef, Grant Cullingworth, “Chocolate’s superpower lies in the cocoa, which is made from the seeds (or beans) of the cacao tree. Cocoa naturally contains flavonoids and flavonols, which prevent inflammation and cell damage. It is also high in antioxidants, contains a good amount of fibre, and is packed with minerals.”
This doesn’t mean that you should rush to the store and stock up on every chocolate on the shelves. There is a difference in the health benefits of different types of chocolates.
Milk vs dark chocolate
When choosing chocolate for its health benefits, the darker the better. Milk chocolate contains between 10% and 50% cocoa, while dark chocolate contains between 50% and 90% cocoa, meaning the latter offers more health benefits. Also keep in mind that milk chocolate contains far more sugar than dark chocolate.
6 Reasons that chocolate is good for you – and can make you feel great!
Let’s delve into the top six health benefits of chocolate, and how they can help to boost your mood.
- Chocolate can lower cholesterol
Research has shown that chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) contains plant sterols (PS) and cocoa flavanols (CF). These have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, improve blood pressure, and consequently support cardiovascular health.
- Lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
When you say you love chocolate, you probably don’t realise how good chocolate can be for your heart.
According to a Harvard study, flavonols in dark chocolate support the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes our blood vessels and improves blood flow. In addition to that, flavonols increase insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of diabetes.
Dark chocolate is also said to help reduce the risk of having a stroke. A Canadian study found that in a test group of nearly 45,000 people those who ate one serving of chocolate were 22% less likely to have a stroke than those who didn’t
- Improves brain function and reduces stress
Improved blood flow, along with the nutrients inherent in cocoa, helps to prevent cognitive decline, improve memory, attention and focus. In addition to that, an extract in cocoa called lavado, is believed to reduce or even prevent damage to the neural pathways in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.
The flavonols and antioxidants in dark chocolate can lower the levels of cortisol in your body – our “fight or flight” hormones, or catecholamines. The higher the levels of cocoa in your chocolate, the more of these good chemicals it contains. Cocoa also contains magnesium and alkaloids, which fight stress and boost your mood respectively.
- It is nutritious
Yes, chocolate – and again, particularly cocoa-rich dark chocolate – can be a nutritious part of our diets. A 100g bar of 70% to 85% dark chocolate can contain the following nutrients:
- 66% if the DV for iron – iron supports your immune system, and improves sleep
- 11g of fibre – fibre is very important for gut health and supporting the bacteria in your digestive system
- 57% of the DV for magnesium – crucial for our nervous systems, maintains blood sugar, and keeps our energy levels up
- 85% of the DV for manganese – helps with inflammation, and supports the brain and nervous system
- 196% of the DV for copper – helps in the development of red blood cells, and supports the immune system
- Athletic performance
For those who like keeping fit, whether it’s at the gym, dancing, running, crossfit, or whatever exercise brings you joy, research shows that dark chocolate can boost oxygen availability to the body during training.
Once again, flavonols prove themselves beneficial, as their enhancement of nitric oxide dilates microvasculature to increase blood flow, therefore oxygen, in the body.
- A natural (and delicious) flu fighter
Cocoa just doesn’t seem to cease delivering goodness to the body, including offering a good dose of theobromine, a chemical found in cocoa, that can help fight flu, and block the cough reflex in people with colds, with the smoothness helping to soothe sore throats.
And the magnesium in chocolate can help to prevent headaches and migraines, sometimes caused by flu. Here is an immune boosting recipe from Chef Grant using tea and chocolate to give you a health boost this winter.
