New research shows that certain kinds of chocolate may not only taste great but be heart-healthy too. Prestigious scientific journals have published studies that say dark chocolate is healthy chocolate. Dark chocolate is good for you — not white chocolate or milk chocolate.
When healthy and high-quality natural ingredients are used, it is possible to make a truly “healthy chocolate” from naturally-grown, unprocessed, unroasted, raw cocoa/cacao beans that has little loss of the natural nutrients and lots of antioxidants.
Many of the health benefits contained in dark colored vegetables can be found in chocolate, because it is derived from plants. Healthy attributes include antioxidants (known for possible risk reduction for cancer and heart disease) and minerals, i.e. copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and calcium.
A true “healthy chocolate” can be found in cocoa beans that are raw and unprocessed or cocoa powder that is made from raw cacao beans. They must not have been treated with alkalis, as with the Dutch chocolate process. The greatest antioxidant concentration of all natural foods is contained in raw cacao, with acai berries being the second greatest. The heart, brain and liver are protected by raw cacao.
Dark chocolate is beneficial to heart health by lowering blood pressure. Studies suggest that individuals with high blood pressure can reduce it by consuming a small quantity of dark chocolate every day. This benefit is from flavonoids, which are chemicals made from plants and which have rich antioxidant properties. Flavonoids offer many nutritional benefits.
Aside from protecting the heart, healthy chocolate also stimulates the production of endorphins and tastes good, giving a feeling of pleasure. The serotonin contained in healthy chocolate acts like an anti-depressant.
In the magazine Chemistry & Industry, Marina Murphy reports that the compound epicatechin, found in unprocessed cocoa, may rival penicilin and anaesthesia in importance as far as public health is concerned. The pharmaceutical industry would likely declare a product with a patent a “miracle drug” if it contained all the health benefits of raw unprocessed cocoa.
Here is another important fact to remember when choosing a “healthy chocolate”. The term “healthy chocolate” only applies to chocolate made from cocoa beans which have not been subjected to high heat by roasting, treated with alkalis or other chemicals, and adulterated with various additives like hydrogenated oils, animal fats like lard, corn syrup, refined sugar, dairy products, and chemical preservatives. Eating healthy chocolate, with its super-high ORAC value, can be an efficient and enjoyable way to boost your daily dose of antioxidants, reduce the ravages of free radicals and protect your heart.