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Sure, we all know the most popular benefits of dark chocolate: sinfully delectable, tantalizingly delicious, and it tastes pretty good.
While those are all great reasons, there are also a few more that would appease even your most health-conscious comrades.
Now, of course, with numerous advertisements endorsing chocolates... it's not rocket science to figure that chocolate is existent in different forms: White chocolate, Milk chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and of course, our topic of discussion: Dark Chocolate.
All these types of chocolate (except dark chocolate) are made using milk, fat and sugar as additives. Most of the chocolates that you find in the supermarkets today are derivatives of the process of solidifying milk chocolate using condensed milk, courtesy of Henri Nestle.
And as much as you love indulging in one of those little bars of fantasy, sooner or later you'll begin to see the effects of having one too many of these little delights which of course contain far too much milk and sugar to earn the "healthy" tag.
Chocolate comes from the cacao tree. And if you didn't know that, perhaps its anglicized derivative, cocoa, would sound more familiar.
Benefits of Dark Chocolate - 5 Facts to Excuse Your Craving!
Scientists have actually discovered that cocoa contains flavonoids. Now if we consume flavonoids, our body will be able to process nitric oxide, which is largely responsible for maintaining healthy blood pressure, resulting in optimum cardiovascular health.
In addition, chocolate is known to relieve you from pain and even boost your energy levels.
Dark chocolate has been shown in several studies to lower LDL, or "bad cholesterol."
This super food also contains serotonin, which is one of nature's anti-depressants and mood-boosters.
Similar to kissing, the dark stuff can even trigger endorphin production, leading to an overall sense of pleasure and relaxation.
The only reason why dark chocolate is considered healthier is because of the greater level of flavonoids present, which is otherwise removed when making milk or white chocolate.
Also, the darker the chocolate, the higher the protein and fiber counts, and the lower the sugar.
Now, another interesting fact about dark chocolates is that they are classified based on a percentage of actual cacao content. In other words, while milk chocolate contains up to 10-20 % cocoa solids, dark chocolate contains levels of 35% to 85% cocoa solids.
To break it down, let's look at these classifications (with the percentage of cocoa solids available):
Sweet Dark Chocolate: 35% - 45%
Semi-sweet chocolate: 40% to 62%
Bitter-sweet chocolate: 60% to 85%
Of the three mentioned above, the last two are normally used in baking cakes, brownies and cookies, not forgetting the 100% cocoa solid, which is also known as unsweetened chocolate and used ONLY for baking purposes. Just a head-up for the adventurous types: 100% dark chocolate is indeed very healthy, but very few can stomach this acquired taste, and it certainly will taste nothing like you would expect from "chocolate."
Now that you know the true benefits of dark chocolate, cocoa your way over to the number one site for free health and nutrition tips at:
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Benefits of dark chocolate... Yes, the legends are true: They do exist!
But, before you go rummaging through year-old Halloween candy and stuffing your face with Snicker's and Tootsie Roll's, there's a few things you need to know.
First, and most importantly, true dark chocolate is usually considered anything at or above 65% cacao.
You're not going to find this percentage mixed in with the Skittles and Gummy Bears, and it does taste a bit different than the sugar-laden milk chocolate you're probably used to, but most convenience and grocery stores do have a few high percentage options to at least take them for a test taste.
Don't worry: Just like with wine, it's an acquired taste for some, and your palette will adjust. I remember the first time I tried 65 percent, and I had to spit it out. I've since worked my way up the cocoa tree to being able to thoroughly enjoy 80-85% (I'm working on the 99, but that's the extreme!).
The higher the percentage of cacao, the more benefits and better nutritional value the chocolate contains.
For example, an average 65% dark chocolate serving would look something like this (these are estimates, as actual numbers will vary, depending on brand, size, etc.): Total Fat 15 g, Sat. Fat 9 g, Sugars 16g, Protein 3g.
Comparatively, an average 99% dark chocolate serving would look something like this (these are estimates, as actual numbers will vary, depending on brand, size, etc.): Total Fat 22 g, Sat. Fat 14 g, Sugars 2g, Protein 5g.
As you can see, the higher up the percentage scale you go, the less sugar and more protein you're going to get.
You may also notice the high fat content, but the majority of this comes from healthy fats (yes, there is such a thing!).
5 Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Studies have shown dark chocolate to lower blood pressure
Studies have also shown dark chocolate to lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
It turns women on more than a passionate kissing session (no wonder they want it for Valentine's Day!)
Contains serotonin, a natural mood-boosting anti-depressant
Stimulates pleasure-inducing endorphin production
Now, even though there are several benefits of dark chocolate, as with anything else, moderation is key. Make sure your chocolate delights fit into your daily caloric needs, and try to work your way up to the highest percentage dark chocolate you can enjoy.
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