Chocolate, long considered the Food of the Gods, has a 4,000-year history. The Olmecs in Mexico were most likely the first peoples to consume chocolate, originally as a drink. And that culture, way back then, knew it was on to something healthy. But it took many centuries for chocolate to be widely recognized as the “super food” it is.
Most of us remember chocolate as a treat when we were younger, and it was usually doled out sparingly—to spare our teeth. For adults, gifts of chocolate have long been considered the ultimate treat; that tradition continues unchanged across many ages, cultures, and circumstances.
So here we are approaching the high holy holiday of chocolate—Halloween.
Without spoiling the fun of costumes and pumpkin goody bags, how about a little science. How much can be made of the health claims pertaining to chocolate? Or is it just a cosmic joke?
Nope, I’m happy to say, it’s no joke: there is no longer any debate about the benefits, provided it’s dark chocolate, the darker the better. Milk chocolate doesn’t count. What puts dark chocolate in the “healthy choice” category is how it’s made what it’s made from. The active ingredient, cocoa (the higher the cocoa content the more nutritious), contains bioactive phenolic compounds and potent antioxidants. These have been shown to:
1. Lower cholesterol levels.
2. Prevent cognitive decline.
3. Reduce the risk of cardio vascular problems.
4. Lower blood pressure (though the effects are usually mild.)
5. Reduce insulin resistance.
One recent observational study suggested that consuming dark chocolate five (5) times a week could reduce the risk of heart disease by a whopping 57%!
Denise’s
2 Cents:
Allowing yourself to consume, enjoy, and indeed savor guilt-free a “good” chocolate or two (no, not the entire bag or bar), can actually be healthy. And, yeah, I’ll say it—it’s fun! But here’s a head’s up: if you overindulge, the sugar content can lead to tooth decay. And if your weight is an issue, pay close attention to your day’s intake of chocolate—and of everything else. That said, I really encourage you to focus on that word “savor,” because one goal of eating should be the enjoyment of the flavor. It definitely goes hand in hand with the satisfaction of eating healthy. So a few small pieces of the “good stuff” weekly could be a great part of healthy living …yum.