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   More About Chocolate and Your Health  Chocolate: A Heart-Healthy TreatMany people think chocolate is about as healthy as a stick of butter. However, recent studies by Mayo Clinic, the University of California, the University of Scranton, and Pennsylvania State University are proving that, in addition to cacao and sugar, chocolate may contain some healthful ingredients. Chocolate contains flavonoids and antioxidants. According to these studies, chocolate is chock-full of flavonoids—naturally-occurring compounds found in the cacao plant, as well as in red wine, tea, fruits, and vegetables. Recent research suggests that these flavonoids may have potentially beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. They may also act as antioxidants, which are believed to prevent or delay certain damage to the body’s cells and tissues. Eating chocolate will not raise your cholesterol. Chocolate and cocoa butter contain two main saturated fats (palmitic and stearic acids) and one mono-unsaturated fat (oleic acid). Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid is a neutral fat and does not appear to raise bad cholesterol (LDL). Oleic acid is the same type of fat in olive oil and may actually raise good cholesterol levels (HDL). But chocolate also contains sugar and fat. Most of these studies don’t address how much chocolate is needed to achieve health benefits, nor do they mention any long-term benefits or risks of eating chocolate. In addition, most chocolate consumed today is milk chocolate, which is high in saturated fat, sugar, and calories—none of which qualify as heart-healthy. So before you stick a bag of candy in your medicine cabinet, you may want to wait until additional research is completed. The link between chocolate and a healthy heart needs further clarification. Continue to Choosing Healthy Chocolates |
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