Is Dark Chocolate Healthy?

As we approach Easter Sunday, I wanted to check out the reputed health benefits of dark chocolate. 

A number of studies tell us that dark chocolate is a  ‘healthy alternative’. Can these studies be trusted? 

Let’s take a look!

A lot of these studies reveal the health benefits of cacao, the beans from which chocolate is made. A 2012 study found that products that contained cacao, including dark chocolate, may help to lower blood pressure slightly. Cacao also provides higher levels of flavonoids, minerals and other health-boosting compounds.

But, whilst dark chocolate does contain more cacao than milk chocolate it may also contain the other ingredients that make milk chocolate unhealthy, namely refined sugars and fats.

It is worth questioning studies that flaunt the benefits of dark chocolate as are quite often funded by large confectionary companies who have their own agenda. The findings, therefore, can be exaggerated and attention tends to be given to the positive points found in the studies rather than  negatives.

So, taking these issues into consideration, is dark chocolate really as healthy as we first presumed? Well, the answer may depend on the brand you choose.

For example, Cadbury’s Bourneville is  dark chocolate but, when you look at its nutritional content, it’s not that different from your average bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk. It still contains 13 grams of fat and 26 grams of sugar which is only a gram lower than Dairy Milk so you’re unlikely to notice much change by switching to dark chocolate here. 

My advice when it comes to dark chocolate is that quality really matters so it might be better to focus on the healthy bit which is the cacao content, particularly the raw cacao content. Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing un-roasted cocoa beans, which actually helps to preserve their nutritional content. This means that raw cacao does actually contain quite a high level of antioxidants and minerals!

So, if you really do find yourself craving some chocolate this Easter, bars high in cacao  might just be the healthier option! 

Here are some examples of companies that make a great cacoa based bars....

Ombar

The Raw Chocolate Co

Willie's Cacao

Pana Chocolate

Rawchoc

Raw Halo

Raw Chocolate Pie

It’s important to put an emphasis on the word healthier.  As always, moderation is key, whether you’re nibbling on a few squares of Bourneville or experimenting with a raw cacao bar. Try to keep that in mind this Easter but please don’t be afraid to treat yourself!