Dark chocolate: When is it healthy, and when is it not?

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Author, Polly Weeks Role, BBC

Published 48 minutes ago

Reading time: 4 minutes

It seems that the food we crave most is not healthy, especially sweets.

For example: chocolate, despite much being said about the health benefits of dark chocolate.

So do we satisfy our craving and support our health if we opt for chocolate with a higher proportion of cocoa solids than milk chocolate?

British nutritionist Nicola Ludlam-Raine explains the validity of this, saying that in principle, dark chocolate can be healthy, but only if consumed in moderation.

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Dark chocolate can have some health benefits, especially if it contains at least 70% cocoa, and quality varies significantly between brands.

But in all cases, it should be kept in mind that dark chocolate is high in calories, and therefore consumption should be limited to small amounts between 20 and 30 grams.

Dark chocolate contains a higher proportion of cocoa solids than milk chocolate; white chocolate contains no cocoa solids at all.

Nutritionist Ludlam-Raine says: "Dark chocolate in the UK and EU generally contains at least 35% cocoa solids."

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The expert points out that "most products are marketed as dark chocolate while containing a solid content ranging from 50 to 90%... The higher this percentage in chocolate, the more cocoa-derived substances it contains, and the lower the proportion of added sugar."

The most realistic solution for palatability

The term 'plain chocolate' refers to dark chocolate that usually does not contain milk; however, please read the ingredients for safety, especially in case of lactose intolerance.

Dark chocolate contains cocoa flavanols – antioxidants beneficial to health that occur naturally in cocoa beans.

If the chocolate contains 100% cocoa and no added sugar, it means it contains a high concentration of cocoa flavanols.

But the taste of chocolate in this case requires some getting used to before it becomes palatable.

The most realistic and palatable solution while maintaining the benefit here is for dark chocolate to have a cocoa content between 70 and 85%.

Cardiovascular health

Some studies have found that cocoa flavanols can support vascular health, as well as modest benefits they can offer for blood pressure and flow.

Studies attribute a slight improvement in cardiovascular health to regular consumption of cocoa products rich in flavanols.

But nutritionist Ludlam-Raine emphasizes that "dark chocolate should be seen as a small component within a diet generally beneficial for heart health; not as a treatment for heart disease or high blood pressure."

Weight loss

"No food in itself is capable of causing weight loss, and dark chocolate is very high in energy," according to Ludlam-Raine.

However, some people find that eating one or two small pieces of dark chocolate curbs their desire to eat more sweets, which could indirectly result in weight loss.

But there is no evidence yet to support the idea of "relying on eating dark chocolate to lose excess weight; on the contrary, eating large amounts of dark chocolate is likely to increase the body's calorie intake," according to nutritionist Ludlam-Raine.

We should not exaggerate the benefits of dark chocolate; although it is better than milk chocolate, it is still not a health food – rather, "it is just a dessert high in calories and saturated fat," according to Ludlam-Raine.

Flavanol and caffeine content

The nutritionist points out that the flavanol content of chocolate is not written on the wrapper – despite its importance in determining how healthy the chocolate is.

It is worth noting that dark chocolate contains some caffeine, but much less than coffee.

Every 30 grams of dark chocolate contains between 20 and 30 milligrams of caffeine, while one cup of coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine.

The darker the chocolate, the higher its caffeine content accordingly.

In light of this, if you are sensitive to caffeine, you should not overindulge in cocoa-rich products, especially before bedtime.

20 to 30 grams

In general, the fewer ingredients on the chocolate wrapper, the better.

But that does not mean unlimited consumption of chocolate with no more than three ingredients.

We must not forget that dark chocolate, despite containing beneficial ingredients, is still rich in calories and saturated fat, meaning that regular consumption is likely to cause weight gain.

In conclusion, consuming 20 to 30 grams of dark chocolate is enough to satisfy the appetite and benefit the body.

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