Eat Chocolate And Don't Feel Guilty

Perhaps because it is so delicious, chocolate has had a bad reputation until recently. Just because it is high in calories, chocolate is not all that evil. It is a plant food, derived from the bean of Theobroma cacao, a South American tree. Like any other bean, it contains plant chemicals, including antioxidants. As with many other foods, how much chocolate you eat determines the cost/benefit ratio. The chocolate we eat is sweetened and has lots of calories and fat. An ounce of chocolate (dark, milk, or semisweet) has 140 to 150 calories and 8 to 10 grams of fat. If the chocolate covers nuts, or if cream or coconut is added, there’ll be a couple more grams of fat and about 20 more calories per ounce. If the candy is mostly mint or a cherry, with just a coating of chocolate, there may be only 120 calories and 2 or 3 grams of fat in an ounce.

Is Chocolate Bad For The Heart?

Chocolate is not bad for the heart. It contains beneficial antioxidants called flavonoids, which may actually reduce the harmful effects of cholesterol. It may even lower blood pressure, according a recent study in Germany. Some lab studies suggest that cocoa flavonoids may also reduce the growth of cancer cells. An ounce of dark chocolate has about the same amount of flavonoids as half a cup of brewed black tea, another good source. But don’t look to chocolate as a proven way to prevent heart disease and cancer. The fat in chocolate has little effect on blood cholesterol. Though it is highly saturated, the fat is mostly stearic acid, which does not boost cholesterol.

Is Dark Chocolate Better For You Than Milk Chocolate?

Dark chocolate, including bittersweet and semisweet, does contain more flavonoids; otherwise the differences are small. Milk chocolate contains some milk, but less chocolate liquor (the ground-up center of the cocoa bean) than dark chocolate. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter. It contains no chocolate liquor and is not, technically speaking, chocolate at all.

Is Chocolate A Major Source Of Caffeine?

Chocolate contians small amounts of caffeine. A one-ounce bar of milk chocolate contains about 6 milligrams of caffeine. The same amount of dark chocolate has 20 milligrams. A cup of cocoa has 20 milligrams or less. For comparison, a cup of tea averages 40 milligrams; a cup of coffee, 115 milligrams.

Does Chocolate Cause Cavities?

Chocolate contributes very little to tooth decay. Plain chocolate is sugary, but it is not sticky and clears out of the mouth quickly. It also contains substances that may inhibit bacterial growth that promotes plaque formation and thus cavities.

Is Chocolate Addictive?

About 40% of women and 15% of men may term themselves "chocoholics," but chocolate is not addictive in the same sense as nicotine. Many people crave chocolate, possibly because it contains small amounts of caffeine and a few other potentially mood-improving chemicals and because it tastes wonderful. There’s a difference between being addicted to something and just liking it a lot.

Does Chocolate Cause Acne?

No, this is a myth.