Demand for dark chocolate is up, boosted by claims that it is rich in antioxidants and good for the heart. But don't go overboard on the sweet treat, dietitians advise
Picture the size of two domino pieces. Next time you crave chocolate, that's plenty for the day, say dietitians.
It's especially tough to stick to that amount with all the Valentine's Day candy available. More is not better, though, despite the hype in recent years promoting dark chocolate's healthful properties -- good for your heart, your blood pressure, even your mood. Demand is definitely growing for dark chocolate, which made up almost three-quarters of the new chocolate products in 2007, according to the Organic Confectionery Report.
In January, locally based Endangered Species Chocolate launched new organic chocolate bars -- most of them dark, with added health-boosting ingredients.
Zurich-based chocolatier Barry Callebaut launched a cocoa powder and chocolate in late 2006 containing about 80 percent of the flavonols found in raw cocoa, saying that as little as 2 grams has an antioxidant effect. The products are expected to be available in North America soon.
Xoçai dark chocolate, sold only through distributors, is advertised as "the healthy chocolate" with antioxidant-rich açai berries and blueberries.
Even so, chocolate has taken a couple of health hits of late. One study linked regular eating of any chocolate to slightly weaker bones because it contains oxalate, making calcium harder to absorb. Another said consumers are misled because some manufacturers often remove heart-healthy flavonols due to their bitter taste and darken the cocoa anyway.
So can dark chocolate be called a health food?
"I think that's stretching the point," said registered dietitian Lucinda Miller, St. Vincent Heart Center. "Chocolate has to have fat or sugar in it, or people wouldn't eat it."
Health benefits
Still, studies consistently say cocoa powder tends to affect the body in a way similar to baby aspirin, said Deborah Murray, assistant professor of food, nutrition and hospitality at Ohio University, Athens. Dark chocolate typically is 60 to 80 percent rich in cocoa powder; milk chocolate, about 10 percent.
Cocoa powder, partly because of its magnesium content, relaxes blood vessels and can help lower blood pressure, reducing heart-disease risk, said Murray. It also may help prevent blood clots because vessels expand.
Dark chocolate is more healthful than white or milk chocolate because of its high antioxidant content from the plant chemical polyphenol, Murray said. These "flavonols" block damage to the body's cells caused by free radicals and help prevent oxidative stress linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and diabetes.
Scientists have long known that cocoa contains antioxidants, but it wasn't until more recently that researchers found that cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, up to three times those found in green tea, and more than in many fruits and vegetables.
Dietitians are quick to point out that other antioxidant-rich foods, like blueberries, broccoli and spinach, have more nutrients, fewer calories and less sugar.
Yes -- but chocolate tastes luscious and makes you feel good. One reason: It raises the level of serotonin, the feel-good hormone, in the brain from sugar in carbohydrates, said Murray.
Extra punch
When Kelly Vaughn eats Xoçai chocolate (pronounced sho-SIGH), she feels good, but she says it's not due to sugar. This chocolate, which first appeared in 2005, is caffeine-free, lower in sugar (no processed sugar) and carbs and higher in antioxidants than most chocolate.
"I don't get that sugar rush. I don't feel guilty about eating it," said Vaughn, a radio news personality on B105.7 FM who's also one of about 2,000 Xoçai distributors in Indiana (www .indyhealthychocolate.com).
The antioxidant level is higher because it contains blueberries and the Amazon-grown açai berries and is cold- processed, retaining polyphenols removed during the typical Dutch roasting method, said Sherm Smith, a retired engineer from Zionsville who has a network of 4,000 Xoçai distributors worldwide (a fraction of the total number of distributors).
While Murray is not familiar with Xoçai , she said Dutch processing does diminish the cocoa content and nutrients.
The stronger antioxidant punch is shown by a measure called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, used by the U.S. government. One Xoçai nugget has nearly the minimum daily-recommended antioxidant level. But three small nuggets have 210 calories -- equivalent to most candy bars.
Cold-processing and adding açai and blueberries in Xoçai chocolate adds to its health benefits, agrees Renee Sweany, an associate with Endangered Species Chocolate. Its organic and natural milk and dark chocolate products are in health food and grocery stores and online (www.chocolatebar.com).
The flip side
Dietitians say to be wary, though, of the downside of most chocolate -- calories, saturated fat and sugar. A typical chocolate bar has 200 to 250 calories and 12 to 18 fat grams (6 to 10 grams saturated fat). Three Ghirardelli Squares, for instance, have 200 calories and the fat content of typical chocolate. A "low-fat" food has 3 grams or less of fat.
That's why they preach moderation.
"We're talking about an ounce of chocolate per day, the equivalent of a couple dominoes or two squares of a Hershey's bar," said Murray. "That's a slippery slope for a lot of people, because it's a real trigger food."
If you can't stop there, she said, stay clear of chocolate. To reduce portion size, Murray suggests shaving slices onto frozen yogurt, dipping strawberries into melted chocolate or using pure cocoa powder with low-fat milk, not sugary mixes.
Rather than deny your chocolate cravings, Miller suggests, eat small amounts with protein -- nuts, milk or peanut butter -- to slow down sugar absorption.
"Eat it slowly, enjoy the mouthful. This way, the body reacts to it."
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080212/LIVING01/802120311/0/ENTERTAINMENT02
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