Dark chocolate may provide a notable memory boost. (Photo by Victor Moussa on Shutterstock)
Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. It provides essential minerals and may even help protect you from heart disease. However, moderation is important because it can be high in sugar, fat, and calories.
Here are seven of dark chocolate’s most important health benefits:
1. High in essential nutrients
Dark chocolate provides healthy amounts of all of these healthy nutrients:
- Fiber
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Selenium
2. Powerful source of antioxidants
Chocolate is considered rich in antioxidants, although honestly, that process happens more effectively in a test tube and does not always show the same degree of antioxidant activity in the human body. There is not enough conclusive evidence of that effect.
The biologically active antioxidants are polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, and some others. The polyphenols may help lower some forms of LDL (bad) cholesterol when combined with other foods like almonds.
3. Raises HDL cholesterol and protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation
Dark chocolate may protect against high cholesterol. In one study, dark chocolate with lycopene significantly decreased levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Some forms of LDL cholesterol oxidize by reacting with free radicals in your body, which enables LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) particles to damage tissues, such as the lining of the arteries in your heart.
The flavanols in dark chocolate can reduce insulin resistance, but dark chocolate high in sugar can have the opposite effect.
4. May lower blood pressure
The flavonoids in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium which lines arteries to produce nitric oxide (NO). One of the functions of NO is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers resistance to blood flow and reduces blood pressure.
Many controlled studies show that cocoa or dark chocolate can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, although the effects are usually mild. It is possible, however that people who are already receiving treatment for high blood pressure may not get any additional benefit from adding cocoa flavanols to their diet. More research is needed.
5. May reduce heart disease risk
The compounds in dark chocolate appear to be highly protective against the oxidation of LDL. Long term, this should cause less cholesterol to lodge in the arteries, decreasing the risk of heart disease. The effect can be significant.
A review of studies showed that eating chocolate three times per week lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 9%. Eating chocolate more often showed little additional benefit.
Another review suggested that eating 45 grams of chocolate per week lowers cardiovascular disease risk by 11%. Consuming more than 100 grams per week does not appear to produce health benefits.
6. May protect your skin from the Sun
The bioactive compounds in dark chocolate may also be great for your skin.
The flavanols can protect against sun damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration.
The minimal erythemal dose (MED) is the minimum amount of UVB rays required to cause redness in the skin 24 hours after exposure. Studies have shown that MED can increase and even double after consuming high-flavanol dark chocolate or cocoa for 12 weeks. The result is that your skin has better protection from the Sun.
Remember, though, that chocolate cannot replace sunscreen and other forms of sun protection.
7. Could improve brain function
Studies show that eating high flavanol cocoa can improve blood flow to the brain in young adults. This may explain why eating cocoa daily appears to improve attention, verbal learning, and memory.
Cocoa flavonoids may also help maintain cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and reduce the chance of progressing to dementia. But more research is needed.
Additionally, cocoa contains stimulant substances like caffeine and theobromine, which may be a key reason it can improve brain function in the short term.
I am a medical anthropologist researcher and author. This article ignores some major problems with chocolate, especially bad in dark chocolate. The biggest are acrylamide, lead, and cadmium, at levels in chocolate that alarm the government. Acrylamide is a nerve poison, as is lead, and anyone with a current nervous condition should avoid these. See my article, Cooked to Death: How acrylamide in food causes nerve damage and long-COVID. https://www.academia.edu/87219890/COOKED_TO_DEATH_How_the_acrylamide_in_food_causes_nerve_damage_and_Long_COVID