An introduction to chocolate and its health benefits!

I know, I know--chocolate has health benefits? It may seem hard to believe, but it does, particularly high quality dark chocolate with high percentages of cacao. Most candy bars and cheaper chocolate bars, particularly milk chocolate bars, admittedly contain few benefits. This is because of the high amounts of sugar and milk, particularly milk fat (among other unhealthy ingredients), that have been added. In general, chocolate bars or products with higher amounts of chocolate itself (referred to as "cacao" on labels and in the industry) are healthier. That's because it is the chocolate itself that provides these benefits, not the milk, sugar, or other ingredients. The best way to determine a products amount of chocolate is to look at the percentage of cacao listed on the label. For example, a chocolate bar with 40% cacao is 4/10 actual chocolate, a chocolate bar with 80% cacao is 8/10 actual chocolate, and in general, chocolate bars that do not list the concentration of cacao tend to have very small amounts of real chocolate and are often not very high quality.

So, onto the benefits themselves. While overindulgence should be watched for, as with any food, chocolate offers many health benefits, ranging from reduced appetite to a healthier heart. A summary of the different benefits follows.

1. First of all, chocolate contains a high concentration of flavonoids, phelonics (also known as cocoa phenols), and other antioxidants, compounds that fight off cancer-causing free radicals, lower blood pressure, and balance hormone differences in the body. They also prevent fat and similar substances from clogging arteries, reducing heart disease and improving blood flow. A word to the wise is that cow milk may interfere with the absorption of flavonoids and antioxidants from chocolate.

2. Chocolate also contains a variety of compounds that act as stimulants, pain relievers, and anxiety reducers, among other things. Caffeine (less than coffee), theobromine, and phenylethylamine, and tyramine act as stimulants. Theobromine is the compound that is dangerous to dogs, so watch out! Serotonin, a neurotransmitter than can help fight depression, also reduces anxiety. Anandamide promotes relaxation.

3. Moreover, chocolate stimulates endorphin production in the brain, leading to feelings of well-being, improving your mood, and reducing sensitivity to pain.

4. While chocolate contains fat, about 1/3 of it is a healthy monounstaturated fat called oleic acid, which is commonly found in olive oil. (And everyone knows olive oil is healthy!)

5. Chocolate may help prevent cavities. (Careful on this one though... bars with a lot of sugar added may not help because of all the extra sugar!)

6. Chocolate reduces the amount of LDL, or bad cholesterol, in your body!

7. Chocolate also reduces appetite. In terms of chocolate bars, this is particularly true for those with extremely high cacao percentages (think 90% or above).

A word to the wise however... In addition to paying attention to the percentage of cacao in chocolate products, the type of product and processing methods matter too! Generally speaking, truffles and other confections do not provide as many health benefits as a high-quality chocolate bar, nor does cocoa powder. Some suggest that, due to different processing methods, European chocolate may be healthier than chocolate made/processed in the U.S. Finally, do not limit your chocolate usage to chocolate bars, powders, and treats--other products such as cacao (chocolate) nibs also have health benefits! Cacao nibs are also great for baking and are more savory than most chocolate bars.