Dark chocolate comes from cacao tree seeds. It contains many nutrients and antioxidants that can give us amazing health benefits.
Normal milk chocolate contains cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and traces of cacao. In contrast, dark chocolate contains larger amounts of cacao and less sugar than milk or normal chocolate.
In this article, we explore dark chocolate health benefits that are supported by science.
Health benefits of Dark chocolate
1. Dark chocolate is Very nutritious
Dark chocolate is loaded with many healthy nutrients.
A 100-gram (3.5 ounces) bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains:
- 11 grams of fiber
- 66% of the DV for iron (12 mg)
- 57% of the DV for magnesium (228 mg)
- 196% of the DV for copper
- 85% of the DV for manganese
- Potassium, phosphorus, zinc (3.3 mg), and selenium.
- 600 calories
- Moderate amounts of sugar (24 grams)
- Very small amount of stimulants like caffeine and theobromine, unlikely to keep you awake at night.
The fats in Dark chocolate consist mostly of:
- Oleic acid (a heart-friendly fat also found in olive oil)
- Stearic acid, which has a neutral effect on body cholesterol
- Palmitic acid, which may increase cholesterol levels, but it is only one-third of the total fat calories
2. Dark chocolate is powerful source of antioxidants
Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, making it at the top of antioxidants rich foods. These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins, among others. They may help reduce some forms of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol especially when combined with other foods like almonds and cocoa.
3. Dark chocolate may improve blood flow, lower blood pressure and also lower heart diseases risk
Dark chocolate contains flavanoids which stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide (NO). NO send signals to relax the arteries. Arteries relaxing lower blood flow resistance and therefore reduces blood pressure but the effects are usually mild or no effect with some people.
Dark chocolate may improve main risk factors for heart diseases as it can decrease total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides levels.
Powerful antioxidants in Dark chocolate prevents some forms of LDL from oxidation. so they prevent LDL from tissues damaging, such as the lining of the arteries in our heart.
The flavanols in dark chocolate can also reduce insulin resistance, which is another risk factor for diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
In the long term, Dark chocolate should cause much less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, which lower risk of heart diseases.
Over time, a number of studies have shown that flavanol-rich cocoa or chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.
4. Dark chocolate may protect your skin from the sun
The flavanols also can protect against sun damage as they improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.
If you’re planning a beach vacation, consider consuming some extra dark chocolate in the prior weeks and months. And remember that chocolate can’t replace sunscreen and other forms of sun protection.
5. Dark chocolate could improve brain function
Dark chocolate may also improve the functions of your brain (attention, verbal learning, and memory) as flavanol can improve blood flow to the brain
Additionally, Dark chocolate or cacao contains stimulant components like caffeine and theobromine, which may improve brain function in the short term.
6. Dark chocolate may improve microbiome diversity
Eating dark chocolate may increase gut microbiome diversity, which can help digestion.
Risks and considerations
Thanks to flavanols in cacao solids, which provide us with the amazing health benefits of Dark chocolate.
However, flavanol content varies among dark chocolate products. Processing methods also varies between manufacturers, and this may affect the flavanol amount of the chocolate.
Also, there is no legal requirement for chocolate manufacturers to mention the flavanol content in their products. However, dark chocolate products with more cacao solids should generally contain more flavanols.
Although dark chocolate contains healthy antioxidants and minerals, it also contains sugar and fat (in cacao butter form which contains unhealthful saturated fats), which makes it a very calorie-dense food.
So, try to limit consumption of dark chocolate to avoid consuming too many calories, fats, and sugars.
Summary
Dark chocolate has powerful health benefits, especially heart disease protection.
Remember that Dark chocolate is still loaded with calories, so don't consume too much every day and check cacao content before eating.
Dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content is the best, and the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it will contain.
Sources
Proven Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
What are the health benefits of dark chocolate?
