2008 Woodie Awards
Chocolate
Lose the post-Halloween guilt
Keith Simons
Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Health
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All the talk about Halloween treats, and desserts of the fast approaching holiday season always brings out the sweet tooth in all of us. According to Godiva Chocolatier Inc., Americans consume about 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate annually, which represents close to have of the world's supply. Furthermore, the annual per capita consumption of chocolate is 12 pounds per person. Needless to say, that is a lot of chocolate. However, we shouldn't feel so pessimistic about our chocoholic ways. There are indeed many benefits in eating the sweet, fulfilling candy. In fact, according to sciencenews.org, there are no health risks of chocolate if it is consumed in moderation.
So what is in chocolate that makes it healthy? The benefits of chocolate primarily depend on the levels of flavonoid content. Flavonoids are found naturally in plants and provide protective benefits as repairing damage and shielding from environmental toxins. When we consume plant-based foods rich in flavonoids, studies have shown that our bodies also benefit from the antioxidant power. In chocolate, the cocoa provides the flavonoid content which acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts of normal bodily processes such as breathing and can also be formed from environmental contaminants such as cigarette smoke. It is known that when the body lacks sufficient antioxidants, the free radical damage ensues, which leads to increase in LDL-cholesterol oxidation and the formation of plaque on arterial walls.
However, before you go chomping on chocolate, levels of flavonoids vary amongst the different types of chocolate. Firstly, white chocolate is flavonoid-free, so it doesn't offer the health benefits that milk chocolate or dark chocolate have. The processing of cocoa into chocolate products involves several steps to reduce its naturally pungent taste. The flavonoids provide the pungent taste so the more a chocolate is processed, more flavonoids are lost. Dark chocolate appears to retain the highest levels of flavonoids, which would make it your best bet.
So what is in chocolate that makes it healthy? The benefits of chocolate primarily depend on the levels of flavonoid content. Flavonoids are found naturally in plants and provide protective benefits as repairing damage and shielding from environmental toxins. When we consume plant-based foods rich in flavonoids, studies have shown that our bodies also benefit from the antioxidant power. In chocolate, the cocoa provides the flavonoid content which acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts of normal bodily processes such as breathing and can also be formed from environmental contaminants such as cigarette smoke. It is known that when the body lacks sufficient antioxidants, the free radical damage ensues, which leads to increase in LDL-cholesterol oxidation and the formation of plaque on arterial walls.
However, before you go chomping on chocolate, levels of flavonoids vary amongst the different types of chocolate. Firstly, white chocolate is flavonoid-free, so it doesn't offer the health benefits that milk chocolate or dark chocolate have. The processing of cocoa into chocolate products involves several steps to reduce its naturally pungent taste. The flavonoids provide the pungent taste so the more a chocolate is processed, more flavonoids are lost. Dark chocolate appears to retain the highest levels of flavonoids, which would make it your best bet.
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