TELL ME WHAT CHOCOLATE YOU EAT…AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT BENEFITS YOU’RE GETTING!

In addition to its tempting, delicious taste, moderate consumption of chocolate accompanied by a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet can contribute to our bodies in several ways, depending on the kind of chocolate we eat.

If you prefer bittersweet (dark) chocolate, various studies have shown that this type of chocolate has certain substances that can help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer.  This benefit is due to the antioxidant content found in this type of chocolate.  According to Dr. Alan Crozier of the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, “one hour after the chocolate was ingested a 20% rise in antioxidants was found in the blood of those eating it.”   It is important to point out that these benefits apply only to bittersweet chocolate, since the addition of milk to the chocolate has a tendency to limit absorption of antioxidants.  Milk proteins fix the antioxidants, and by adhering to them they don’t allow the antioxidants to be absorbed.

Although the above advantages are limited to bittersweet chocolate, there are also benefits for those who prefer milk chocolate.  A study at the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, U.S.A., concluded that consumption of this type of chocolate can increase brain function.  These brain benefits are due to the content of stimulants in chocolate such as theobromine, caffeine and phenethylamine.   According to Bryan Raudenbush, “these substances by themselves increase the degree of alertness and attention, and we have found that because of this by eating chocolate you can obtain a stimulant effect that increases mental performance." These benefits were found using neuropsychological tests applied 15 minutes after the chocolate had been consumed which evaluated cognitive abilities such as memory, attention and problem-solving.

Moreover, regardless of the type of chocolate, the cacao it contains helps the brain release endorphins and serotonins, substances that make us feel calm and happy and improve our mood.  However, we should remember that chocolate is a food with a very high calorie content, so it should be consumed in moderation and hopefully along with a balanced diet and frequent exercise.

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