The Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Chocolate
“I’ve heard that chocolate offer some health benefits. Is this true, and if so, what type of chocolate does it need to be?”
Dear Crazy for Cocoa,
The answer to your question is “Yes! But...”
It’s true that chocolate offers numerous benefits. In fact, a study in the 2020 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that eating chocolate more than once a week was linked with an 8% lower risk of coronary artery disease, which is the most common type of heart disease. This may be because chocolate can help keep the heart’s arteries healthy. Multiple other studies have also shown that regular consumption of cocoa flavanols can improve cardiovascular function.
However, this doesn’t mean you should begin adding Snickers bars and M&Ms to your daily diet in the name of health! In order to truly reap the health benefits, you need to be eating the right kind. According to the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, this means dark chocolate—made from at least 70% cacao.
Furthermore, you should aim for raw, unprocessed cocoa. This form of chocolate contains heart-healthy nutrients such as flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid which can prevent plaque buildup, improve blood flow, increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, lower inflammation, and keep oxygen flowing throughout the body.
Unfortunately, most popular forms of chocolate are processed with alkali to remove any bitterness, and this process strips away the nutrients that offer cardiovascular benefits. Next time you are buying chocolate, go for a darker variety (70% or higher), and look closely at the label to avoid cocoa that has been alkalized (this is often referred to as Dutch Process Cocoa).