I'm sure you have heard the hype that has been around for a while now surrounding the antioxidants in chocolate providing health benefits. But is all chocolate the same and how much do you have to eat to get these health benefits? Is it all just a farce or can eating chocolate actually be good for you?
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans and just like any plant food they contain antioxidants called flavonoids. Research using chocolate looks at the effects of these flavonoids on health. So far the results have shown a weak but protective effect against heart disease. No results however have conclusively shown that by eating chocolate you can reduce your risk of heart disease. What you need to keep in consideration is the amount of fat, sugar and energy found in chocolate and whether this outweighs the potential benefits.
Not all chocolate is the same and the more cocoa it contains the more antioxidants it has. Cocoa itself is a very bitter food but in chocolate when combined with cocoa butter, sugar, other flavours and emulsifiers, turns into a palatable food. Chocolate with the most antioxidants is of the darkest varieties with the highest cocoa content. The amount of dark chocolate that you need to eat to reap the health benefits is unknown although the more antioxidants you eat the better the benefit. this doesn't mean you should be eating chocolate non stop. The best food sources for antioxidants are fruit and vegetables. But including some dark chocolate in your diet shouldn't make you feel guilty, after all - it all adds up. Enjoying your food is all part of a healthy balanced diet.
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