The Health Benefits Of Chocolate

Chocolate has been a sweet treat of the West ever since Montezuma, the ninth ruler of the Aztec people, introduced it to the Spanish Conquistador, Hernán Cortés, in the 1500's. For almost 500 years, chocolate has been one of our guilty little pleasures.

The good news is that recent scientific research is beginning to show that there are many health benefits of consuming chocolate. So maybe, just maybe, we won't have to feel as guilty when we sneak a piece of that tasty treat.

Recent Chocolate Studies

2005 - American Heart Association 's Journal of Hypertension This study found that subjects with high blood pressure saw a drop in pressure after receiving 100 grams of dark chocolate a day. Those subjects that were given 90 grams of white chocolate saw no change.

2006 - The Archive of Internal Medicine This study found that subjects who consumed 2.3 grams or more of dark chocolate per day had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as much as 50% lower.

2007 - Journal of the American Medical Association In this study, researchers from the University Hospital in Cologne, Germany tracked the effects of dark chocolate on high blood pressure. Of the 44 subjects, 55 to 75 years of age, half were given 6.3 grams of dark chocolate and the other half were given a 30 calorie equivalent piece of white chocolate. After 18 weeks, only those subjects that were given dark chocolate had a drop in their blood pressure.

2008 - American Association for the Advancement of Science Presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting, this study found that dark chocolate helps the body to process nitric oxide, which is critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure.

2009 - American Chemical Society's Journal of Proteome Research This study found that consuming 40 grams of dark chocolate per day for two weeks helped reduce the levels of stress hormones found in subjects that rated themselves as feeling highly stressed.

2010 - Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism In this recent study, scientists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine discovered that dark chocolate might protect the brain after a stroke. A compound known as epicatechin, which occurs naturally in dark chocolate, was found to stimulate two previously well-established pathways known to shield brain cells and protect them from free radical damage. 

2011 - The American Academy of Neurology Presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting, this study found that, compared to subjects that did not consume a weekly serving of chocolate, those that did were 22% less likely to suffer a stroke.

Beneficial Chocolate Effects
 • improves blood flow
 • lowers blood pressure
 • reduces inflammation
 • elevated mood
 • decreased risk of stroke
 • decreased risk of cardiovascular disease

The Dark Side Of Chocolate

When it comes to chocolate, not all things are created equally. In order to receive all the amazing health benefits that chocolate has to offer, only one kind will suffice, and that is dark chocolate.

The healthy compounds in dark chocolate are called flavonoids. Unfortunately, flavonoids taste bitter, and consequently commercially made chocolate, such as milk chocolate, is processed in such a way that it removes most of these compounds.

Flavonoids in Chocolate

There are over 5000 naturally occurring flavonoids, found in everything from citrus fruits and berries, like goji berries, to tea, wine, and of course, chocolate.

In plants, flavonoids protect them by repairing damage and shielding them from environmental toxins. When we consume food high in flavonoids they act as antioxidants that help to repair damage caused by free radicals.

The main type of flavonoid found in chocolate is called flavanol, and besides their antioxidant qualities, flavanols have been found to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.

Chocolate – The New Health Food

Chocolate, in particular dark chocolate has been touted by some as a new form of health food. With the scientific studies listed above, it is hard to deny this fact. But just in case you need a few more reasons to eat chocolate, here are 5 more:

1) Rich Source Of Antioxidants
Dark chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants, specifically flavanol, which as been found to enhance blood flow, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure.

2) Maintains Good Heart Health
Coupled with the benefits from above, dark chocolate has also been shown to contain mild anti-clotting effects, which helps to prevent plaque formation in arteries. The flavanols contained in dark chocolate have also been shown to stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which helps to relax and widen arteries. All which will put less strain on the heart.

3) Low Glycemic Index
Unlike its sugary counterparts, dark chocolate has a low glycemic index, which is the measure of a food's impact on blood sugar levels. What this means is you will not experience the spike and then the crash in blood sugar levels that normally occurs with other sweets.

4) Contains Vital Minerals
Dark chocolate contains an array of vital minerals, such as copper, which helps the body to absorb iron, magnesium, potassium and iron, which helps the body to carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body.

5) The Feel Good Snack
Chocolate doesn’t just make us feel better emotionally because we are eating something that tastes good; it also elevates our mood on a chemical level. Dark chocolate has been found to contain many mood-elevating and pleasure-inducing chemicals, including theobromine, a natural stimulant, and Phenylethylamine, which stimulates the release of endorphins.

Although the scientific research and studies have shown that chocolate has many health benefits, it is not a free pass to go wild with your chocolate consumption. As the saying goes, "There is such as thing as too much of a good thing." So be smart in your choices, and only choose products that are made with at least 70% cocoa. With the correct choices, like delicious Goji berry clusters dipped in rich dark chocolate, there is no reason why chocolate can't fit into a healthy diet.