Healthy Chocolate:
Too Good To Be True?
by Patricia Griffin Kellicker,
BSNChocolate, which is well known for its high calorie count and fat content, is by no means considered a health food. But as it turns out, it's also been unfairly blamed for a variety of health problems. For example, until recently, eating chocolate was thought to cause the development and worsening of acne. But studies by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the U.S. Naval Academy have shown that in fact there is no link between chocolate and acne. Other research suggests that there may be no dietary link to the development of acne at all.Many people also assume chocolate contains a great deal of caffeine, when in truth it contains quite little. An average size chocolate bar contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. It also turn out that chocolate, which has long been blamed for the development of cavities and tooth decay, may play a protective role instead. Some studies postulate that the cocoa butter in chocolate may coat the teeth and help prevent the formation of plaque. Of course the sugar found in chocolate - like all sugars - does contribute to cavities.Key IngredientsChocolate is a complicated substance with over 300 known chemicals. Some of the most promising ingredients found in cocoa and chocolate products are substances called phenols and flavonoids. These natural antioxidants are found in plants, including cocoa beans, fruits, vegetables, tea, and red wine. Antioxidants are important because they keep the body's free radicals in balance. Too many free radicals can cause diseases like cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative diseases.According to researchers at the University of California, Davis, cocoa and chocolate contain more flavonoids than many other commonly consumed foods. These flavonoids are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease in three ways by:
Preventing low-density lipoproteins (LDL, also called bad cholesterol) from oxidizing and clogging the arteries;Helping the body maintain its levels of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C;Acting on the body's platelets to reduce the risk of clottingAll three of these actions help protect the heart and reduce the risk of disease.Another study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that cocoa had higher levels of flavonoids and higher antioxidant activity than red wine, green tea, or black tea. And while researchers admit that the chocolate bars should not be considered health foods due to their high fat and calorie content, they also say that a cup of hot cocoa (lower in fat than a chocolate bar) has more antioxidant properties than black tea, green tea, or red wine.Fat ContentAll chocolate comes from the cocoa bean. It is the cocoa butter found in the beans that is the natural source of fat found in chocolate. Since cocoa butter is a vegetable fat, it contains no cholesterol. Milk chocolate, the most popular type of chocolate, contains 20% milk fat in addition to cocoa butter. For this reason dark chocolate or cocoa powder is considered a healthier alternative.The two major fatty acids found in cocoa butter are stearic acid and oleic acid. Stearic acid is a saturated fat-the type that would normally be expected to raise blood cholesterol levels in the body. However, for reasons not yet entirely understood, stearic acid does not appear to have this effect. Oleic acid, which is the same fat found in olive oil, is a monounsaturated fat and has been shown to benefit heart health.ModerationDespite the good news on the heart health front, certain facts can't be ignored. Chocolate contains considerable fat, which packs far more calories than carbohydrates or protein. A 1.4-ounce chocolate bar contains 210 calories, which is a significant contribution to an 1,800-2,000 calorie-per-day diet. And too many calories and not enough exercise can lead to weight gain and health problems. So, while maybe we can all feel a bit less guilty when we do occasionally indulge, moderation, as always, is the key.RESOURCES:American Cocoa Research Institutehttp://www.chocolateandcocoa.orgAmerican Dietetic Associationhttp://www.eatright.orgAntioxidants in Chocolate. Available at:http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/chocolate/choc1.htm.Accessed: December 19, 2003.Keen Carl L. Chocolate: Food as Medicine/Medicine as Food.Journal of the American College of Nutrition2001;20:436--439SLee, KW, Kim, YJ, Lee, HJ, and Lee, CY.Cocoa Has More Phenolic Phytochemicals and a Higher Antioxidant Capacity than Teas and Red WineJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry2003;51:7292-7295Serum Cholesterol: World Cocoa FoundationAvailable at: www.chocolateandcocoa.org/Accessed December 23, 2003The Good News About Chocolate.World Cocoa FoundationAvailable at: www.chocolateandcocoa.org/Accessed December 23, 2003.