Nutritional benefits of chocolate

Let’s start with a question that often comes up when we are trying to eat healthier - ‘Should I eat chocolate or sweet treats when I am trying to nourish my body?’

Often, we can feel we need to remove all sources of sugar from our diet in order to be healthy. Sugar has become the focus of a lot of healthy eating campaigns and received a lot of negative attention. There are certainly concerns about how much sugar is being added to our food, particularly highly processed foods. However, by focusing on one single ingredient, we begin to label these foods as ‘bad’. This can inadvertently create stronger cravings for this food –particularly when it comes to chocolate. We can experience feelings of guilt, or even helplessness and loss of control in the face of this ‘forbidden treat’. Cutting out foods can create a sense of deprivation, even if the intention behind the change is positive.

Sugar and sweet treats like chocolate can form part of a healthy diet. The simple answer to ‘Can I eat chocolate and be healthy?’ is - if you enjoy it, yes! Rather than placing chocolate on a pedestal of ‘delicious, sinful, guilty pleasure’ – what if we became intentional about how we include it in our diet, really taking time to savour and enjoy? As always, we are trying to build a healthy relationship with food, one that allows us to nourish our body both physically and mentally.

We do hear that dark chocolate can have some health benefits - what are they?

-   Dark chocolate is rich in plant compounds that have powerful antioxidant properties. These molecules neutralize free radicals, unstable compounds in your body that can in excess cause harm to your cells.

-   Cocoa is a source of many essential nutrients, including minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc.

-   One of the most important compounds contained in cocoa beans are flavanols. These compounds are an abundant source of antioxidant activity and may decrease your risk of some chronic health conditions. Flavanols are particularly associated with heart health, having been shown to have beneficial effects on blood pressure.

-   The cocoa in dark chocolate is a source of fibre, making it a gut-friendly food.

It is important to note that these health benefits are seen in dark chocolate – think 70% and above. Dark chocolate does also contain caffeine, so if you are particularly sensitive you can consider limiting intake before bed.