If you're a chocoholic, the news about dark chocolate's health benefits sounds like pure bliss--there's nothing like feeling good about your favorite guilty pleasure. According to Joanne Haire, RD, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical Center, 'Cocoa contains many components which can be classified as healthy. It has flavonoid polyphenols, which can act as antioxidants and can also help to lower blood pressure.' Flavonoids, which are particularly potent antioxidants, comprise more than 10 percent of the weight of cocoa powder. The types of flavonoids in cocoa products are catechins, epicatechins, and procyandins. Haire reports that chocolate also contains serotonin, which acts as an antidepressant, and endorphins, which produce pleasurable feelings.
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The dark side of chocolate. Modern chocolate bars are usually a processed whip of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar, emulsifiers and milk that may minimize their potential polyphenol content. In finished products, the amount of cocoa can vary from seven to 35 percent in milk chocolate, and 30 to 80 percent in dark chocolate. Dark chocolate generally has twice the amount of polyphenols as milk chocolate, and white chocolate has none. Haire suggests that you look for dark chocolate as your best source of cocoa flavonoids (dark chocolate containing at least 70% cacao is even better).
Another chocolate shortfall: 'It is a calorie-dense food and can be very high in fat and sugar, depending on what is added to it,' says Haire. At 135 to 150 calories per ounce, chocolate can quickly lose its health benefit if you overindulge. Formulations vary for chocolate products, so keep an eye on the amounts of sugar and saturated fat in your favorite dark chocolate. Filled nougat and caramel centers can further increase the amounts of fat and sugar. And many dark chocolate bars are gigantic, containing as much as 500 calories, 38 grams (g) fat and 24 g saturated fat in a three-ounce bar.
Better by the bite. Chocolate makers have started packaging dark chocolates in smaller, single-serving packages, which makes it easier to stay within your limits. Several single-serving and bite-size dark chocolates made our Sleuth List, such as Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate 100 Calorie Bars, with only 100 calories, 5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat and 9 g sugar per 17-g bar, which is slightly more than half an ounce. However, some chocolate bars that may appear to be a 'single serving' are much bigger and provide a heftier load of calories, fat and sugar. For example, Godiva's Solid Dark Chocolate Chocoiste Bar weighs 43 g, and if you eat the whole thing, you'll add 230 calories, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat and 20 g sugar to your day. Conversely, some individual dark chocolates are packaged in tiny sizes, such as Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses, at 5 g each. Haire emphasizes that individual portion sizes definitely can help, but beware of an open bag of Hershey's Kisses.
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The wisest approach is to determine how many calories and grams of fat and sugar you can afford to consume from chocolate on a daily or weekly basis and then create your own portion size that matches up.
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The bottom line: Even though dark chocolate has some beneficial components, it doesn't belong in the 'health food' category. 'It would be hard to classify dark chocolate as health food,' Haire suggests, 'as so many people don't eat chocolate in moderation. It does contain healthy ingredients naturally, but it is also high in fat and calories. A bite or two every day--one-half to one ounce--could be beneficial, however.'
SUPERMARKET SLEUTH: TOP 10 Calories Fat Sat Carb SugarPORTION-SIZED DARK CHOCOLATES Fat1. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate 100 5g 3.5g 11g 9g 100 Calorie Bars (1 bar, 17 g)2. Trader Joe's 70% Dark Chocolate 100 8g 5g 7g 5g 100 Calorie Bars (1 bar, 18 g)3. Scharffen Berger 82% Cacao, Extra 160 11g 7g 13g 9g Dark (1 bar, 28 g)4. Hershey's Bliss Dark Chocolate 160 12g 7g 21g 17g Bars (1 bar, 36 g)5. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate 180 12g 8g 25g 21g Kisses (9 pieces, 41 g)6. Endangered Species Dark Chocolate 200 16g 10g 19g 12g Bug Bites (4 pieces, 40 g)7. Hershey's Bliss Dark Chocolate (6 200 14g 9g 25g 20g pieces, 43 g)8. Dove Promises, Dark Chocolate (5 210 14g 7g 21g 17g pieces, 40 g)9. Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate 60% 220 17g 10g 23g 16g Cacao Squares (4 pieces, 43 g)10. Godiva Solid Dark Chocolate 230 14g 9g 26g 20g Chocoiste Bar (1 bar, 43 g)Note: Sorted in ascending order of calories; g = grams, SatFat=saturated fat; Carb = carbohydrates Nutritional Informationfrom manufacturer label.
