How to choose Healthy Dark Chocolate

 Hi Readers,

Welcome back… This week's blog post is about how to choose healthy dark chocolate? When I was enjoying my dark chocolate during my break time, I was wondering, Why do people say dark chocolate is healthy? I love milk chocolate. Yum! 

Did you know dark chocolate is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants?

What is dark chocolate? 

Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate containing cocoa solids and cocoa butter without the milk or butter found in milk chocolate. Dark chocolate without added sweetener is like bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate.

As per the website, medicalnews today.com

Dark chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and minerals, and it generally contains less sugar than milk chocolate.

Some research suggests that dark chocolate may help lower the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation and insulin resistance, increase the diversity of the gut microbiome, and improve brain function.

People interested in adding dark chocolate to their diet should keep in mind that it is high in fat and calories, so moderation is key.

As per the website, webmd.com

Cocoa contains a variety of chemicals, including antioxidants called flavonoids. It's not clear how these might work in the body, but they appear to relax the blood vessels. This could lead to lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation and blockage of blood vessels.

As per the website, health.ucdavis.edu

Most dark chocolate is rich in plant chemicals called flavanols. Flavanols are antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

In theory, dark chocolate will contain higher flavanols content(greater health benefits). Milk chocolate contains much less and white chocolate contains none. Dark chocolate is also a good source of soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals(like zinc, iron, magnesium etc.)

So far, we saw the good stuff of dark chocolate. Now let’s see if there are any side effects?

Downside of the Dark Chocolate 

As per the website, webmd.com

Eating cocoa is likely safe for most people. But keep in mind that cocoa contains caffeine and related chemicals, as well as heavy metals like lead. Eating large amounts might cause caffeine-related side effects such as nervousness, increased urination, sleeplessness, and a fast heartbeat.

Cocoa can cause allergic skin reactions and might also trigger migraine headaches. It can also cause nausea, stomach discomfort, constipation, and gas.

As per the website, livingstrong.com

According to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, dark chocolate has higher caffeine content than both milk chocolate and white chocolate. Consuming large amounts of dark chocolate can lead to an increased heart rate, diarrhea, anxiety, irritability, nervousness, and dehydration. Caffeine can also cause an increase in blood pressure and difficulty in focus or concentration. Caffeine can cause insomnia so you should avoid eating dark chocolate before you go to sleep. If you are sensitive to caffeine or if you have high blood pressure, you should avoid consuming large amounts of dark chocolate.

So dark chocolate does have huge side effects if you consume in large quantities.Then, how much can one eat in a day? Let’s find out….

How much dark chocolate can you eat in a day?

As per the website, Life Enriching committees

The recommended “dose” is approximately 1 to 2 ounces or 30-60g, experts say. Indulge in anything more than that, and you may be consuming too many calories.

Nutritional Content of a 70-85% Cacao Bar

• 170 calories

• 12 grams of fat

• 13 grams carbs

• 1 gram dietary fiber

• 8 grams of sugars

• 2 grams of protein

• 7 mg calcium

• 203 mg potassium

  
  

As per the website, medical news today.com

The studies in this article generally used 20–30 g of dark chocolate per day. Dark chocolate with higher percentages of cacao solids typically contains less sugar but more fat. More cacao also means more flavanols, so it is best to choose dark chocolate that includes at least 70 percent cacao solids or more.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a 101-gram (g) bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa solids provides:

• 604 calories

• 7.87 g of protein

• 43.06 g of fat

• 46.36 g of carbohydrates

• 11.00 g of dietary fiber

• 24.23 g of sugar

• 12.02 milligrams (mg) of iron

• 230.00 mg of magnesium

• 3.34 mg of zinc

So, consuming dark chocolate less than 1 or 2 ounces per day is safe. We know how much to consume per day, but I don’t know which brand to buy. Let’s find it out….

As per the website, healthyeater.com

When choosing a quality healthy dark chocolate, here are the qualities to look for in a bar.

• High cacao content (> 70%).

• Low sugar content.

• Few additives and overall ingredients.

• No added flavor.

• No preservatives.

• Not “dutched” or processed with alkali.

If your chocolate says “processed with alkali” on the nutrition label, then it’s going to have fewer flavanols.Processing with alkali is called Dutching, and it’s done to reduce acidity, making the chocolate a darker color (and arguably improving the flavor). There is nothing unsafe about dutching – it may make the flavor more appealing to some, but lead to less health benefits.

The best dark chocolate brands

My top 5 at a glance:

1. Pascha is the best all round.

2. Hu is a great choice if you can’t handle more than 70% 😉.

3. The Taza 85% Mexicana Chocolate disk is special: Just cacao beans & sugar 😋

4. Alter Eco 85% Raspberry Blackout – Dark with a tang of flavor.

5. Lindt 85% is the best combo of value-for-money and healthy benefits. These are some of the best brand that are available in the market.

    In conclusion, always remember to look for organic and not processed with alkali(dutching). Always, choose 70 % and above cocoa with the least amount of added sugar in your dark chocolate. For people with diabetes, you can choose unsweetened dark chocolate or dark chocolate 70% and above cocoa made with Stevia leaves for sweetener. Limit to 1 or 2 ounces per day. Do not consume more than it is recommended. 

   Hope this blog about dark chocolate is informative. Thanks for stopping by to read my blog. If you find this blog post helpful, please leave your suggestions. Many thanks.   Check out below some of the best top brand from Amazon.com.