Chocolate & Your Health

Chocolate. The very word can lift our spirits. What is it that gives chocolate such unique allure? Certainly, it has one of the richest and most distinctive flavors in the world, but chocolate also features an undeniable “feel good” factor that goes beyond mere sweet appeal. This is partially because chocolate stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a sensation of pleasure and well being similar to the "runner's high" a jogger feels after logging several miles.

Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that reduces anxiety by producing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that acts as an anti-depressant. Other substances, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine, as well as modest caffeine levels, contribute to chocolate’s stimulating effect. Last, but not least, chocolate tends to trigger the brain's production of natural opiates, reducing sensitivity to pain.

Add it all up, and it’s no surprise that so many of us find chocolate to be one of life’s greatest pleasures, and something that we simply can’t live without. Nor should we have to, given the surprising health benefits of this treasured substance. So, just how does chocolate promote your wellness?

It turns out that cocoa and chocolate are rich plant-derived sources of flavonoids, natural compounds with potent antioxidant properties. Along with cocoa beans, large quantities of flavonoids are found in red wine, tea, and many fruits and vegetables.1 The flavonoids in chocolate are called flavonols, and the darker the chocolate, the richer the flavonol content. In fact, unsweetened powdered cocoa starts out with almost twice as many flavonols as dark chocolate, but when diluted with water, milk or sugar to make hot chocolate, the flavonol total per serving plummets to less than half that in milk chocolate.2

So, why are flavonoids such health heroes? First and foremost are their powerful antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants are our bodies’ frontline defense against the free radicals that constantly and adversely affect our cells. Many of the processes of aging─as well as many disease states─are initiated by free-radical damage to our cells. These harmful, unstable molecules are impossible to avoid as we create them through normal body processes, and they are virtually everywhere in our environment, generated from sunlight, cigarette smoke, fried foods, x-rays, pollution, pesticides, medications, stress, and exercise, among numerous other sources.

Research has shown that antioxidants have the unique ability to neutralize free radicals in our bodies, which may minimize your risk of chronic, degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, among other health issues. According to a study by Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment, chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea. In other research, dark chocolate was found to contain 53.5 mg. of catechins—especially powerful antioxidants—per 100 grams. By contrast, 100 ml. of black tea contains a mere 13.9 mg. of catechins.

Flavonoids and flavanols have great potential to protect us from vascular disease, which can cause heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia and hypertension. Moreover, antioxidants can minimize the free radical damage that might otherwise lead to LDL-cholesterol oxidation and plaque formation on arterial walls. In fact, flavonoids in chocolate may be even more powerful than vitamin C in protecting circulating lipids from oxidation.3

How else can chocolate promote a healthy heart? It appears that flavonol-dense cocoa works to reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow, preventing fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, while making blood platelets less likely to form dangerous clots. This reduces risk of both stroke and heart attacks. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition further confirms the health benefits of flavonoids, especially in reducing chronic inflammation—a key biomarker for cardiovascular disease.4

To maximize your health benefits, emphasize dark chocolate, which contains the highest levels of flavonols. What dessert could be more elegant than fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate? You can also incorporate unsweetened cocoa powder in desserts, baked goods, hot chocolate and more. Clearly, a healthy, balanced diet could─and perhaps should─include chocolate in moderation. In fact, you may find that treating yourself to high-quality chocolate will not only nurture your spirit, it may also extend your lifespan. Now that’s a delicious prospect.

1 Nutrition Review (2006 Mar; 64(3):109-180)
2 Nutrition Notes May 2001
3 J Agric Food Chem. 1999 Dec;47(12):4821-4).
4 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2003 Jun;77(6):1466-73)