The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Jennifer McDowall explains why eating dark chocolate might actually be good for you.

Photo by Dessy Dimcheva

Compared to milk chocolate, which contains 10-50% cocoa solids, dark chocolate contains between 50-90%. It’s the high levels of this ingredient that’s responsible for a multitude of health benefits. With that said, here are a few of the benefits of dark chocolate:

A brief disclaimer: we are not medical professionals, so please consult your doctor before making any significant adjustment to your diet.

Dark chocolate contains many nutrients necessary for a healthy body, and the benefits increase as the cocoa content increases. Copper and iron, for example, are both involved in the production of haemoglobin found in red blood cells, Manganese is an integral part of many enzymes found in the human body and Magnesium is needed for hormone production and converting food to energy.

All of these are found in dark chocolate, along with zinc, potassium, phosphorus and a sizeable amount of soluble fibre. Chocolate can also promote the growth of ‘good’ bacteria during digestion, which can improve how well the body absorbs nutrients.

In addition to being nutritious, dark chocolate also contains several compounds which have anti-oxidant properties, such as flavonols, catechins and polyphenols. Anti-oxidant compounds can protect the body against free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules, which can cause damage to cells and cause disease.

Dark chocolate has an extremely high ability to protect against free radicals. Its score is higher than so-called superfoods such as blueberries and acai berries and so it may help fend off some very common diseases. The antioxidants in chocolate may also protect against harmful UV rays and help improve the hydration, elasticity and density of your skin.

Dark chocolate has been shown to protect against two major risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Several different studies have shown the beneficial effects of dark chocolate on heart disease. These include a 50% reduction of risk of death from this disease, reducing arterial plaque by 32%, and a massive 57% reduction in heart disease.

Flavanols found in cocoa can stimulate the lining of the cells’ arteries to produce nitrous oxide (NO) which causes them to relax, allows blood to flow easier and lowers blood pressure. The observed effect on blood pressure is small but statistically significant.

So-called ‘bad cholesterol’ (LDL), which can clog arteries, can also be reduced. When LDL reacts with free radicals it can damage the artery lining. Antioxidants in dark chocolate can help prevent this oxidation, subsequent arterial damage and prevent the build-up of cholesterol in arteries. At the same time, chocolate was shown to increase ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL), and also reduce total levels of cholesterol in men showing high levels.

It may sound counterintuitive, but consuming dark chocolate, in moderation of course, can actually make the body better at breaking down glucose and reduce resistance to insulin. In doing so the likelihood of developing diabetes is also reduced. Oxidative stress is thought to contribute to the development of diabetes and as dark chocolate is high in antioxidants, it can reduce the damage caused by free radicals. Dark chocolate also protects against chronic inflammation, which can also contribute to diabetes.

Another way chocolate can do this is by controlling appetite as being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes. If a small dose is eaten before or after meal time, it sends a signal to your brain that you’re full and may therefore help with weight loss.

Not surprisingly, eating chocolate can improve your mood. It does this by stimulating the areas of the brain associated with pleasure and reward. Research has shown increased neuronal activity in these areas which can boost your mood and lower stress levels.

Chocolate also causes flavonoids to accumulate in the brain region involved in learning and memory, which may improve cognitive abilities. The presence of small amounts of stimulants, theobromine and caffeine, which are known to improve short term cognitive abilities, may also contribute.

Although this article is not written by a medical professional, the information presented here is based on scientific research. However, the studies mentioned are observational, meaning there has been no direct link between the results observed and chocolate consumption. It should be noted that a 100g bar contains around 600 calories and a moderate level of sugar, only one ounce of chocolate per day is advised.

Nevertheless, if you're looking to buy some chocolate over the next few weeks, you’d do well to go a little darker than you might be used to.

Article on a similar topic: The Health Benefits of Turmeric

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