Surprise, surprise! Some chocolates can actually help improve your heart health.
It’s chocolate season. Eventually, even before the chocolate hampers that came as Diwali gifts run out, the Christmas hampers will start appearing. Christmas and chocolate go well together anyway, don’t they? And no, you don’t have to worry about them being bad for you: some chocolates can actually help improve your heart health.
Our hearts always knew this. Chocolate is good for the heart. And not only romantically! Research into the flavonoids found in chocolate has made it abundantly clear that these antioxidants (flavonoids) can be very beneficial for your heart. In fact, researchers have found that dark chocolate’s flavonoids (which include procyanides, epicatechins, and catechins) are actually more effective antioxidants than the flavonoids in other good sources, such as tea. Want to know how they work? Well, flavonoids improve the functioning of the endothelium, a layer of cells in the arteries (including the heart) that prevents plaque formation and protects against high blood pressure. Essentially, they prevent platelets from sticking together and forming blood clots, therefore keeping our arteries healthy. Another study found that a substance found in cocoa helps the body process nitric oxide (NO), a compound essential for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. In addition, chocolate also contains phenolic compounds, which are also considered to be beneficial for the heart. So yes, you can go ahead and eat the stash hidden in your drawers and give your loved ones this heart-healthy gift of dark, creamy chocolate this Christmas, guilt-free.
Be careful though
It’s true that chocolate is usually high in fat and sugar. But depending on the type of fat in the chocolate, it may not be too hard on your arteries. Good quality chocolate is made from cocoa butter (a heart-healthy fat that has been shown to lower both total and LDL cholesterol). Remember that not all chocolate contains cocoa butter, so be sure to read the labels. Also practice portion control. Aim to consume about 100 calories of dark chocolate per day by adjusting your calorie intake and exercising accordingly. And remember, you won’t help your heart by gaining weight, so while chocolate is good for you, eat too much and you might as well apply it straight to your thighs. Alternatively, use cocoa powder (chocolate with most of the fat removed) to make hot chocolate, which by the way is a better idea since heat increases the absorption and availability of these antioxidants exponentially (heat helps trigger the release of more antioxidants).
So, which chocolate is the healthiest?
Remember, the darker the better. It’s a fact that plain dark chocolate products containing 70% or more cocoa solids are the healthiest way to satisfy a chocolate craving without consuming too much sugar and saturated fat.