How Sweet It Is—Chocolate and Heart Health

Health Topics: Heart & Cardiovascular Disease

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Could a luscious dark chocolate truffle be a cure for heart disease and diabetes? Not quite. Research on dark chocolate has shown that it can be good for your health. But, sadly, chocolate remains a high calorie treat and should not be the focus of your wellness plan.

Still, we have the Kuna Indians to thank for cluing us in to the health benefits of chocolate. The Kuna who live on an island off the coast of Panama have an extremely low prevalence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, when they move away from their traditional diet, rich in cocoa beverages, the Kuna develop these diseases at a much higher rate. This knowledge spurred business and research interests to investigate how chocolate—more precisely dark chocolate—lowered diabetes and heart disease risks.

So, what does the research say? Unlike white or milk chocolate, dark chocolate has a powerful antioxidant punch. These antioxidants interact with other chemicals in the chocolate, which means it would be difficult to capture in a supplement, to prevent the damage of free radicals on our cells. (Free radicals have been linked to heart disease and cancer as well as more benign conditions like wrinkles.) The antioxidants also lower blood pressure by expanding blood vessels and help cells use glucose better by improving insulin sensitivity. All of which directly contribute to better heart health; however, more research will need to be done to determine whether diabetics and hypertensives would also benefit from brown gold.

Again, it’s not just any old chocolate that will make a difference. Dark chocolate is high in antioxidant-rich flavonoids. Whereas, white chocolate doesn’t contain flavonoids at all and milk chocolate is low in them. Milk chocolate has low cocoa content, and it is cocoa that contains the flavonoids. When choosing dark chocolates, opt for the more expensive ones, as they usually have higher levels of flavonoids. Specifically, buy bittersweet chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa content.

Is there now a daily recommendation for dark chocolate consumption? We wouldn’t be so lucky —the therapeutic level varies greatly depending on the type and source of chocolate. Some of studies indicate that health benefits are seen with consumption of 3.5 ounces—a block of chocolate about the size of a deck of cards. Since this is nearly 500 calories, you need to think about other ways to get your antioxidants—like by eating veggies and fruits and drinking teas. Or you’ll need to get a good dose more of exercise to control your weight. Also, keep in mind that chocolate is still at the top of the pyramid because of its high concentration of sugar and fat. So, eat it sparingly. A few squares per week is plenty.

So, scratch the idea of installing that chocolate fountain in your bedroom. But when you have the urge for a sweet treat say yes to dark chocolate.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)