Most of us consider chocolate to be a guilty pleasure, but in recent years, chocolate has also gained some positive reputation when it comes to health matters. Just recently, a study in the Journal “Heart” suggested a correlation between chocolate consumption and lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The study spanning across 12 years indicated that among participants who did not eat chocolate at all, 17.4% developed cardiovascular disease, while among participants who ate a large amount of chocolate daily (about 16g-200g), 12% developed cardiovascular disease. While further research needs to be done to examine this apparent correlation, it is at least nice to note that chocolate is likely not responsible for heart diseases.
Nevertheless, there are some scientific reasons behind the health values of chocolate.
Flavanols, a component of cocoa beans, and more common in dark chocolate, have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage in heart disease. They also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function (function of the veins in carrying blood and oxygen around body).
Chocolate releases endorphins, the hormones that make one feel happy. In times of stress, anxiety and unhappiness, chocolate is a good pick-me-up. If you read / watch Harry Potter, you might recall that chocolate is recommended/prescribed after an encounter with dementors, creatures that siphon away feelings of happiness. J. K. Rowling certainly knew her Science when she wrote that.
If you are prone to water retention, chocolate is rich in magnesium which will help to reduce the problem. Don’t overindulge though, as sugar is also one of the factors that cause fluid retention and of course, weight gain.
A study by the University of Illinois goes as far as to suggest that dark chocolate rich in flavanols will lower cholesterol and improve blood pressure. Further research needs to be done, however, as this research uses but a small sample.
And according to a research by Germany’s Heinrich Heine University, chocolate may even improve skin condition. They exposed chocolate eaters to ultraviolet light and discovered that after six weeks, they had 15 percent less skin reddening than those who didn’t eat it. After 12 weeks, the chocolate eaters’ skin was 16 percent denser and 42 percent less scaly. The study leader concludes that the compounds in chocolate may act as UV filters.
It looks like there is no reason to not eat chocolate but there is one important factor to consider. Most commercial chocolate have added ingredients like fat and sugar, which can all lead to weight gain and in turn, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. They also may not retain much of the cocoa bean, which is the main source of beneficial healthy components like flavonoids. You can enjoy your chocolate, but do so in moderation and try to stick with dark chocolate or just plain cocoa, which goes great with milk or oats.
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