Numerous studies and articles have shown that there are many potential health benefits to dark chocolate, from improved memory and brain health, to better cardiovascular health and overall well being.
This makes sense because chocolate is made from the seeds of a fruit, and those seeds contain many of the same healthy compounds (polyphenols, including flavanols and especially catechin and epicatechin) found in other fruits.
Chocolate is one of the most polyphenol rich foods, along with coffee and tea. [1,2]. In fact, dark chocolate has a higher amount of flavanols per weight than red wine, black tea, cranberry juice and apples! It’s important to keep in mind that polyphenol content is directly related to cacao content – generally the higher the cacao content the more polyphenols are in the chocolate.
But only chocolate that hasn’t been alkalized contains high levels of polyphenols, as the alkalization process strips out most of the polyphenols and all of the natural cacao flavors. Most mass-market chocolate has, unfortunately, been alkalized. This holds true for the large chocolate brands, even the ones that are considered “high end.” Look on the label for the words “processed with alkali,” or something to that effect (and keep in mind European chocolate companies are not always required to state on the label that they alkalize).
We never alkalize, so our chocolate always retains the highest levels of healthy polyphenols, as well as all of the natural flavors of the cacao.
So what are some of the potential health benefits?
Improved Brain Function: Studies have shown that eating even small amounts of dark chocolate can result in rapid improvement in memory. Check out these articles from the National Library of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.
Improved Memory: Dark chocolate has been found it improve memory almost immediately. Check out this article from The Independent.
Improved Cardiovascular Health: The Journal of the American Heart Association found eating dark chocolate improves lipid profiles.
Stress Reduction: Dark chocolate can reduce stress and make you happier. Check out this article from Loma Linda University.
Reduced Fatigue: This study showed that participants’ Fatigue Scale score improved after eating polyphenol rich chocolate.
And there are many articles extolling the many virtues of eating dark chocolate. See these from Johns Hopkins, Healthline, The Cleveland Clinic, and Medical News Today.
It’s important to do your own research about the health benefits dark chocolate may provide, and remember that everything should be enjoyed in moderation!
And, yes – some chocolate CAN contain high levels of sugar, so it’s important to choose chocolate with a high cacao content (the more cacao the less sugar there is in the bar). And, you need to choose chocolate that isn’t alkalized and that doesn’t contain fillers or additives.
We like to say our chocolate is a food and not a candy, since we make it entirely from the seeds of a fruit, with one enough sugar to highlight the incredible natural flavors of the cacao. Plus, when we add flavors they’re all real. This is one food that not only has many potential health benefits but is fun to eat, too!
- 1.Arts I.C.W., Hollman P.C.H., Kromhout D. Chocolate as a source of tea flavonoids. The Lancet. 1999;354:488. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)02267-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Arts I.C.W., van de Putte B., Hollman P.C.H. Catechin contents of foods commonly consumed in the Netherlands. 1. Fruits, vegetables, staple foods, and processed foods. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2000;48:1746–1751. doi: 10.1021/jf000025h. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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