Chocolate lovers eat it often, perhaps daily or more than once a day, but there is confusion and controversy about the effect of chocolate on health and whether it is beneficial or harmful to health.
According to a report published by EatingWell, there are different forms of chocolate, including white, milk and dark, and the components of each of them differ, and then there is a variation in the nutritional characteristics of each of them.
A lot of research has been done on milk chocolate and dark chocolate because they contain substances from the cocoa plant, which are linked to many health benefits. But white chocolate actually contains only cocoa butter. Research findings point to various health effects of regular chocolate consumption, as follows:
Chocolate
1. Improve heart health
Dark chocolate and milk chocolate contain cocoa solids, albeit in different amounts. Cocoa contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants found in foods such as tea, berries, and green leafy vegetables. Flavonoids provide multiple health benefits, including improving heart health. Because dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa solids by volume, it’s also high in flavonoids. One study found that there was an improvement in lipid profiles and blood pressure when moderate amounts of dark chocolate were consumed every one to two days.
A 2017 randomized control study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that eating almonds with dark chocolate or cocoa improved body fat profiles.
Chocolate
2. Increase your iron levels
According to a 2021 study published in the journal Nutrients, iron deficiency anemia can lead to symptoms including fatigue, weakness and brittle nails. Dark chocolate is a good source of iron, with a 50-gram serving of dark chocolate containing 6 milligrams of iron. Females between the ages of 19 and 50 need 18 milligrams of iron a day and adult males need 8 milligrams a day, according to the US National Institutes of Health. But it should be noted that milk chocolate contains only about 1 milligram of iron per 50 grams.
3. The discipline of cognitive functions
In a 2019 randomized controlled trial published in the journal Nutrients, consuming dark chocolate daily for 30 days improved participants’ cognitive performance. The researchers attribute the findings to the methylxanthines in dark chocolate.
Negative effects
While there are some potential health benefits of eating chocolate, there are some potential negative consequences as well. White chocolate and milk chocolate are high in saturated fat and added sugar. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), eating too much saturated fat and added sugars is linked to increased blood cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
A single bar (50g) of milk chocolate contains approximately 22g of added sugars and 8g of saturated fat, while a 50g bar of white chocolate contains 25g of added sugars and 16.5g of saturated fat.
