London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Is dark chocolate really good for you?

Is dark chocolate really good for you?

We've long been told that chocolate isn't good for us. But the darker the bar, the more surprisingly good it could be for health.

Humans have been consuming some form of chocolate for hundreds of years. For most of this time, it came in the form of liquid cacao, made from cacao beans.

Some cultures – but not all – have since added sugar, milk and shiny packaging. Those still consuming cacao more traditionally, meanwhile, have ignited a debate over whether chocolate can be good for our health.

The Kuna Indians, for instance, who live on the San Blas Islands of Panama, have low blood pressure that doesn't rise with age, low levels of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancer, and they tend to die old, says Marji McCullough, senior scientific director of epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society.

And contrary to the scientific consensus that excessive salt can increase blood pressure, their diet contains as much salt as the average US person's.

To find out exactly what they consume on a daily basis, McCullough visited the Kuna Indians. She discovered that they were consuming around four cups of cocoa – cacao mixed with water and small amounts of sugar – every day.

But McCullough can't attribute the Kuna Indian's great health to cocoa-drinking with any certainty – especially since they were also eating twice as much fruit and four times as much fish as the average US diet. Plus, they live more active lifestyles than we generally do in the West.

Many other observational studies have looked at the heart benefits of dark chocolate, but they may be biased because people who eat chocolate more frequently tend to have fewer concerns about their weight, says JoAnn Manson, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She adds that they may also be healthier to begin with.

In one study, researchers looked at the diets and health of 20,000 people, and found that eating up to 100g of chocolate – including milk chocolate – a day was associated with lower risk of heart disease and stroke. They controlled for other factors that might influence this, including smoking and exercise levels, but said there could be other explanations rather than the chocolate.

And then came a large clinical trial that could control for other possible causes, like diet and lifestyle. It was based on the hunch that the potential health benefits of cacao could be down to its high level of flavonoids, plant compounds also found in berries and tea.

The San Blas islanders of Panama have better-than-expected health, possibly thanks to regularly drinking flavanol-rich chocolate


The Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study, involving 21,000 people, found that taking 400 to 500mg daily cocoa flavanol supplements could reduce a person's risk of dying from heart disease by reducing blood pressure and inflammation in the body.

The scientists used supplements instead of actual cacao because the concentration of flavonoids can vary hugely across different chocolate brands, depending on the harvesting, manufacturing and processing, says Manson, who was also principal investigator of the trial.

Dark chocolate may have up to four times as many flavonoids as tea, but research shows that flavanol content is reduced during the manufacturing process.

I don't think any approach to increase flavanol content in chocolates will make them a 'health food' – Gunter Kuhnle


As a consequence, there is currently no consensus about the amount of cocoa flavanols you'd need to see any health benefits, says Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading.

While the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) says around 200mg of cocoa flavonoids, or 10g of dark chocolate is beneficial, more recent data suggests that about 500mg per day is more likely to make a difference to our health. That’s the equivalent of a little under one small 30g bar of chocolate.

"I don't think any approach to increase flavanol content in chocolates will make them a 'health food'," Kuhnle says.

Studies suggest the potential health benefits of cacao could be down to the amount of plant flavanols found in them


Dark chocolate also contains something else we don't know much about. It's one of the few sources – apart from coffee – of the plant molecule theobromine.

While it is a psychoactive substance, theobromine – which is in the same family as caffeine – can give you a "smoother hit" than caffeine, says Chris Alford, professor in applied psychology at the University of the West of England. And the darker the chocolate, the stronger the hit.

"If you're eating a lot of dark chocolate, you may get a genuine hit, and the theobromine may be nicer than the caffeine hit," he says.

For those who are concerned that chocolate increases the risk of heart disease, some researchers say it actually doesn't need to be avoided.

Dark chocolate usually also contains sugar, but one way to avoid this is to opt for chocolate with a higher percentage cocoa than the proportion found in milk chocolate.

Chocolate's dark side


Testing the effects of cocoa flavanol supplements also bypasses the other components of dark chocolate: sugar and saturated fat. Dark chocolate often contains cocoa butter, which is high in saturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

"The fats in chocolate all come from cocoa butter, but while evidence says stearic acid has a neutral effect on cholesterol, a third of fat in cocoa butter is saturated and deleterious to health," says Aedin Cassidy, professor at the School of Biological Sciences at Queen's University in Belfast.

While researchers haven't explicitly recommended eating chocolate to stave off heart disease, one paper concludes that regularly eating dark chocolate is likely to have net benefits to our health, and that the strongest evidence base pertains to heart health.

There is currently no consensus about the amount of cocoa flavanols you'd need to see any health benefits


And eating little portions of dark chocolate could help tackle unhealthy eating habits, says Duane Mellor, dietician at Aston Medical School.

"Small amounts of chocolate won't be harmful and may challenge your relationship with chocolate, because you can enjoy a small amount and not feel guilty. The bitterness tends to make it self-limiting."

The problem is – the higher the cocoa flavonoid content of a chocolate bar, the more bitter the taste, and the more bitter the taste, the less marketable it is.

"There's a conflict between the good bits of cocoa and what we need to put with it to make it edible and enjoyable," says Mellor.

What if the process of preserving the taste of the cocoa bean also, incidentally, results in a healthier chocolate?


To make matters more complicated, it's possible that fat and sugar helps make the flavonoids in chocolate more bioavailable, which means they're easier for the body to take in.

"Some of these flavanols are complex organic compounds, and one way we can make them available is sticking sugar onto them," he says.

There just isn't enough research for anyone to look at the cocoa flavanol and sugar content in chocolate to conclude where the sweet spot is.

Also, there's still no way of knowing how many cocoa flavanols you're getting.

"Chocolate is not a health food, and, considering the amount of sugar and fat in most chocolates, it is likely that any benefit from flavanols are negligible compared to the adverse effects of overeating," says Kuhnle.

The quest for taste


There seems to be a surge in smaller "bean-to-bar" companies producing higher percentage cocoa with a focus on preserving taste, rather than any possible health benefits.

But what if the process of preserving the taste of the cocoa bean also, incidentally, results in a healthier chocolate?

Cocoa beans grown on the Solomon Islands in the Pacific are picked at the exact moment of ripeness, says Martyn O'Dare, co-founder of chocolate brand Firetree Chocolate.

The farmers then break open the cocoa pods and start the six-day process of fermentation, before drying them out. Some of the dried beans are then sent to the UK, to Firetree, where they are roasted whole.

Adding dairy and sugar to the chocolate may help its plant flavanols become bioavailable more easily


This was how it was originally done, but in the early part of the 20th Century, things changed, according to O'Dare.

Chocolate companies relied on two crops from farmers – the main crop, harvested from November to January, and the mid-crop, from January to June, he says.

"The mid-crops were smaller and slightly inferior, and weren't initially sold. Then, companies started buying them at a discount, and farmers realised they were selling good beans at a lower price, so started mixing in the mid-crop with the main crop," he says.

While you can find flavanols in many different foods alongside chocolate, studies suggest that dark chocolate can fit within a healthy diet


"This meant that chocolate companies were receiving different size beans, which would require different roasting times. So they decided to start breaking open the shells so they could roast just the nibs."

Whether this story is hearsay or not, the truth remains that smaller chocolate-makers might be on to something: roasting the whole bean, rather than just the nibs, often involves roasting at a lower temperature for longer.

We know that if we cook vegetables too long, fewer nutrients stay intact. But whether the same can be said for dark chocolate and the fruit it comes from, the cacao bean, remains to be seen – more research needs to be done.

Still, while you can find flavanols in many different foods alongside chocolate, studies suggest that dark chocolate can fit within a healthy diet.

"It's reasonable to have high percentage dark chocolate several times a week as long as you're avoiding excessive calories, but it shouldn't be perceived as a health food you try to eat more of," says Manson.

"Try to increase flavanols through diet, with tea, berries, grapes and other fruits, as well as a reasonable, moderate amount of high-cacao chocolate," she says.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
Unelected PM of the UK holds an emergency meeting because a candidate got voted in… which he says is a threat to democracy…
You Are So Beautiful
Rob Schneider explains California reparations legislation.
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Who knew badminton could get so intense?
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Farmers break through police barriers in Brussels.
Sattahip Motor Show 20
London's Iconic British Telecom Tower Sold To Become Hotel
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Ukraine Arrests Father-Son Duo In Lockbit Cybercrime Bust
A kiss to build a dream on
US Offers $15 Million For Info On Leaders Of Cybercrime Group Lockbit
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Russia Claims UK Cultural Agency Spied for Ukraine
Mean Blues
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
La Chansonnette
Alexei Navalny: UK sanctions Russian prison chiefs after activist's death
Pattaya Addicts
German economy is in 'troubled waters' - ministry
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Dream a little dream of me
New video
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
Tucker Carlson says Boris Johnson wants "a million dollars, in Bitcoin or cash, from Tucker Carlson to talk about Ukraine.
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
Russia is rebuilding capacity to destabilize European countries, new UK report warns
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
EU Commission wants anti-drone defenses at Brussels HQ
Rondo Alla Turca
Von der Leyen’s 2nd-term pitch: More military might, less climate talk
Kiss of fire
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
UK court to hear Assange's final appeal against extradition to the US, where he faces charges related to his journalistic work—the publication of a classified video in 2010 that exposed US war crimes against humanity.
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
About 50-60% kids either chose to be YouTuber or influencer
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
A viral video of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce lying on a Canberra footpath is celebrated by his media mates.
La vie en rose
European Countries React to Navalny's Death by Summoning Russian Diplomats
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
English farmers to be offered ‘largest ever’ grant scheme amid food security concerns
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
Cameron government knew Post Office ditched Horizon IT investigation
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Only you (And you alone)
EU Vows To Hold Putin "Accountable" After Meeting Alexei Navalny's Wife
Strangers In The Night
EU Launches Probe Into TikTok Over Child Protection Under Digital Content Law
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
The EU Initiates Naval Mission to Defend Red Sea Trade Routes
Summer time
EU and UK Announce Joint Effort on Migration
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
Brazil's Lula Likens Gaza Operation to Holocaust, Israel Says "Red Line" Crossed
Aux Champs Elysees
Ministers Confirm Proposal to Prohibit Mobile Phone Usage in English Schools
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Microsoft-backed OpenAI valued at $80bn after company completes deal
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
‘Alexei would want to tell Russia not to give up fighting’
She
Rwandan Footballer's Dismissal Sparks Concerns Over UK Asylum Plan
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Whisky Challenges China's Baijiu Market During New Year Celebrations
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Avdiivka - Symbol Of Ukrainian Resistance Now In Control Of Russian Troops
Radiohead - Creep
Putin Critic Alexei Navalny's "Killers" Refusing To Hand Over Body, Say Allies
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
Pentatonix Havana
20 Tech Giants Sign Effort To Fight AI Election Interference Across Globe
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
Joe Biden Accuses Putin of Causing Navalny's Death
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Tucker Carlson grocery shopping in Russia. This is so interesting.
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
Julian Assange's Wife Warns of His Death if Extradited to US
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
‘A lot higher than we expected’: Russian arms production worries Europe’s war planners
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Greece Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption Rights
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Hungarian Foreign Minister: Europeans will lose Europe, the Union's policy must change drastically
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
In Britain Homeowners are receiving CPO’s (Compulsory Purchase Orders) so their homes can be redistributed to migrants
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×