Benefits of Chocolate

Recently I have been asked a lot about the benefits of chocolate. One man asked me if my truffles were made of the 'real stuff'. I was a little confused and replied, 'well yes, it's made of real chocolate'. Then he said, 'no, like the real chocolate that has good stuff in it'. So I replied, 'yes, my chocolate is real and it has great antioxidants in it'. He still wasn't convinced, so he asked if I used the same chocolate as a snickers bar. Now this comment almost made me laugh out loud, but I held it back and politely replied that no, my truffles were not made with that same kind of chocolate, but in fact a better kind that has more health benefits. I wished that I could have sat down with him and explained the whole process of how chocolate is made and the wonderful benefits of dark chocolate, but there just wasn't time for that. So I will explain it here! :)

Dark chocolate is the closest you will get to actual pure chocolate, therefore dark chocolate is where you will find the wonderful benefits. The higher the percent of chocolate, for example a 70% chocolate bar, the more actual chocolate and beneficial flavanols you are getting. The percentage stands for cacao to sugar ratio. So a 70% chocolate bar has 70% cacao and 30% sugar. The higher percentage you have, the less sugar and the more cacao.

roasted cacao beans

Milk chocolate is always a less percentage of cacao because it has more cocoa butter and sugar in it, therefore you get far less benefits from it. Milk chocolate has less cacao and more cocoa butter and sugar, also making it more fattening. Milk chocolate is a milder and sweeter taste of cacao making it less bitter and easier to eat. Just because it still has cacao in it though, does not make it good for you.

White chocolate is in fact, no chocolate at all. It uses the cacao butter that has been pressed and separated from the cacao bean. In the process of making chocolate from a bean to a bar, the cacao beans are roasted and pressed, which separates the oils and fats from the actual dark cacao pulp. Those oils and fats are the white cacao butter, which are then mixed with sugar to make white chocolate. It is the dark cacao that contains the beneficial and healthy flavanols, and because white chocolate does not use the actual cacao, it does not contain the healthy flavanols in it.

Another thing about chocolate is the amount it is processed. Usually the chocolate that is used by candy bars has been through quite a few processes. Those processes highly decrease the beneficial flavanols that you find in purer dark chocolate. Major chocolate candy bar manufacturers also pump the chocolate full of fat and sugar to make it taste better, thus making people buy and eat more of it. Don't be fooled though, that chocolate is NOT good for you.

60% dark chocolate

So here are the awesome benefits that you get from a higher percentage of dark chocolate:

1. High in antioxidants: Chocolate is high in flavonoids, an antioxidant in the polyphenol category. Antioxidants can help to prevent cell damage and have been linked to prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
2. Helps with cholesterol: Scientists at Penn State found that dark chocolate and flavonoid-rich cocoa powder reduced LDL ("bad" cholesterol) oxidation.
3. Reduces inflammation: An Italian study showed that when volunteers ingested small amounts of dark chocolate, their levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker) decreased.
4. Lowers blood pressure: A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that dark chocolate had an effect on lowering blood pressure.
5. Helps with mood: Chocolate contains tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin, which can help with depression. Research also shows chocolate can increase dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine (PEA) known as the "love chemical."
6. Improves blood flow: Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that cocoa has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way as aspirin. Nobody is suggesting to replace your aspirin with chocolate, but the research is compelling.
7. It's delicious! Research shows that enjoying food and life is beneficial for your health.

You can read more about it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-patricia-fitzgerald/7-healthy-reasons-to-enjo_b_257159.html