Many people list chocolate among their favorite foods, right along side other popular dishes like pizza, sandwiches, and French fries. Whether you prefer the creamy taste of milk chocolate or the slightly bitter bite of dark chocolate, questions often arise regarding chocolate's health benefits. Is chocolate bad for you? Are there health benefits to chocolate beyond the sweet taste? Isn’t chocolate high in fat? There are all common questions asked about chocolate so lets break them down and show you the good and the bad to that yummy treat.
cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) flickr photo is shared by el patojo
Chocolate contains lots of antioxidants. In fact, one ounce of chocolate contains the same amount of antioxidants as a cup of brewed tea. Antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules. When the process of oxidation occurs, free radicals are produced. These free radicals start a chain reaction that can damage or destroy the cell, leading to disease.
Its true, chocolate contains saturated fat. Saturated fat is often linked to high cholesterol and other health problems. The good news here is that because chocolate is a plant product, it is cholesterol free. The bad news is that chocolate is often found in products like candy bars that do contain cholesterol raising fats. Chocolate is also very caloric, containing a large number of calories in a small package.
cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo is shared by las - initially
Chocolate is considered a mood enhancer. When you eat chocolate, the levels of serotonin in the brain increase, leading to an elevated mood. The bad news here is that the effect is somewhat negated by the caffeine also found in chocolate.
The old myth that chocolate leads to acne is finally debunked. Instead, chocolate actually helps to smooth the skin by protecting it from UV rays, increasing blood flow, and giving skin a healthier appearance.
But eater beware, not all chocolate is created equal. Despite the numerous benefits of chocolate, too much of a good thing is bad. Eating large, processed candy bars will negate any of the healthy benefits of chocolate and elevate the bad properties of chocolate, namely its high calorie count. You should also avoid white chocolate. Despite its name, white chocolate contains no chocolate at all and thus none of the benefits that chocolate has. So steer clear of candy bars, white chocolate, and powdered hot chocolate mix which looses lots of nutritional value during processing and stick to dark chocolate and healthy recipes that utilize raw cocoa powder so you can harness the benefits of chocolate while avoiding the unhealthy features.
cc licensed ( BY NC SD ) flickr photo is shared by el patojo
Antioxidants
Chocolate contains lots of antioxidants. In fact, one ounce of chocolate contains the same amount of antioxidants as a cup of brewed tea. Antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules. When the process of oxidation occurs, free radicals are produced. These free radicals start a chain reaction that can damage or destroy the cell, leading to disease.
What about the fat in chocolate?
Its true, chocolate contains saturated fat. Saturated fat is often linked to high cholesterol and other health problems. The good news here is that because chocolate is a plant product, it is cholesterol free. The bad news is that chocolate is often found in products like candy bars that do contain cholesterol raising fats. Chocolate is also very caloric, containing a large number of calories in a small package.
cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo is shared by las - initially
Mood
Chocolate is considered a mood enhancer. When you eat chocolate, the levels of serotonin in the brain increase, leading to an elevated mood. The bad news here is that the effect is somewhat negated by the caffeine also found in chocolate.
Skin
The old myth that chocolate leads to acne is finally debunked. Instead, chocolate actually helps to smooth the skin by protecting it from UV rays, increasing blood flow, and giving skin a healthier appearance.
But eater beware, not all chocolate is created equal. Despite the numerous benefits of chocolate, too much of a good thing is bad. Eating large, processed candy bars will negate any of the healthy benefits of chocolate and elevate the bad properties of chocolate, namely its high calorie count. You should also avoid white chocolate. Despite its name, white chocolate contains no chocolate at all and thus none of the benefits that chocolate has. So steer clear of candy bars, white chocolate, and powdered hot chocolate mix which looses lots of nutritional value during processing and stick to dark chocolate and healthy recipes that utilize raw cocoa powder so you can harness the benefits of chocolate while avoiding the unhealthy features.
I certainly don't eat chocolate for its sweetness, but there's something else about it that's so satisfying. I think it's the intense flavor of 88% dark chocolate, and if there's enough fat in it, it's nice and smooth instead of grainy. Ritter Sport is the best I've ever eaten (it's not 88% but dark and has hazel nuts), although it doesn't say it's gluten free.
ReplyDeleteHI Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI liked your blog today! I just happen to be a distributor for a HEALTHY CHOCOLATE product called Xocai. Have you heard about it? It's non-processed so it retains all of it's anti-oxidant properties (in fact, raw-unprocessed cocoa is the NUMBER 1 anti-oxidant super food in the world. One serving of this chocolate is equivalent to the anti-oxidant levels of 12 servings of fruits & vegetables!) It's low calorie, gluten-free, vegan, there are no processed sugars, (it's sweetened with acai berries & blue-berries which are are the number 2 & 3 anti-oxidant superfoods after cocoa, and small amounts of raw cane). it's also caffeine free, diabetic friendly and of course, it tastes amazing! It's not bitter which i find with the higher cocoa content chocolates out there. If you would like more information, i would be happy to share this with you and send you some samples. Kind Regards, Maryanne Rae 816-886-8005
It's so nice to stumble upon other gluten free Bloggers! :) Great article! I'm a chocolate lover, and this post was very helpful! Thank you for taking the time to write it.
ReplyDelete*Hugs from Canada*
ps -- I'm a new follower of yours :) Can't wait to read more!