The Great Chocolate Debate

Posted on January 23rd, 2007 by Christopher.
Categories: Current Events & Politics.

Today Christine & I ran into a discussion about how Dark Chocolate is healthy. I of course didn’t think this was likely 100% true and that it was probably people looking for a way to justify a sweet that they enjoy eating. ( The fact that you like eating it is enough to justify it people, in fact if it was really healthy you probably wouldn’t like it nearly as much )

We took the scope of the discussion far and wide until we both decided we needed to do more research… my main point was that humans do not NEED chocolate that we got along just fine before we ever invented chocolate… just as we got along just fine before we invented wine. Christine’s main point was that chocolate and wine were two of the only foods that contained healthy flavonoids. I thought this was unlikely because of course both chocolate and wine come from other things so that just can’t be true. So I set out to educate myself on this subject once and for all.

Since flavonoids seem to help prevent heart disease and cancer, the idea of eating chocolate sounds like a tempting and delicious way to better your health. The complete message is, however, that although chocolate might be preferable to other treats, it is no substitute for vegetables and fruits, which also contain flavonoids.

The flavonoids in chocolate that laboratory studies demonstrate to have powerful antioxidant effects are called flavanols and procyanidins. These two compounds come from the flavonoid “family” that includes resveratrol, found in grape juice, and EGCG, found in green tea.

One study that compared the total antioxidant activity in single servings of cocoa, green tea, black tea and red wine scored cocoa markedly higher than the rest. Yet the flavonoid content of cocoa and chocolate is highly variable. The more cocoa in a chocolate product, the higher the antioxidant flavonoid content is. Because dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content, it is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. For this reason, dark chocolate is used in research studies. White chocolate has no cocoa content.

A cup of hot or cold cocoa may sound like a health drink loaded with antioxidants, but almost all cocoa drink mixes contain cocoa treated with alkali (also called Dutch cocoa) to produce a darker, richer taste. Unfortunately, this process drastically reduces flavonoid content.

Unless you find a chocolate mix made with untreated cocoa, start with plain cocoa (not Dutch) and add your own sweetener and milk to make a flavonoid-rich cup. Surprisingly, the fat content of chocolate is not a reason to avoid it. Technically, chocolate contains saturated fat, but the particular type of saturated fat – stearic acid – is unique because it does not raise blood cholesterol.

Studies show that neither dark or milk chocolate is a cholesterol concern in moderate amounts. But keep in mind that other ingredients added to some chocolate candies can change their nutrition impact. But one of the reasons you shouldn’t rely on chocolate for antioxidants, in the place of vegetables and fruits, is the calorie load. A small piece of dark chocolate has only 50 calories, but most candy bars contain at least 200.

In comparison, a serving of vegetables and fruits contains a generous amount of health-promoting phytochemicals and only 25 to 80 calories. An antioxidant-rich serving of green tea has no calories at all. Besides, vegetables and fruits have more than flavonoids. They provide vitamins, minerals like magnesium and potassium, and phytochemicals that protect our health in other ways. Some, for example, block the activation of carcinogens, while others interfere with the life cycle of cancer cells and promote their destruction.

My my conclusion… chocolate like wine is generally unhealthy and not good for the body but if you enjoy it then the occasional indulgence won’t kill ya, but it probably won’t make you any healthier… well it might make you more balanced… right Christine?

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