Which cocoa is healthiest?

Dark chocolate is best for you because it's the least processed chocolate, which means it contains the highest percentage of flavonoid-filled cocoa bean (cocoa).

health.clevelandclinic.org - Dark, Milk or White – Which Chocolate Is Best for Your Heart?

Why do we have butt hair?

Everyone has some hair in the area between their butt crack. This hair wicks away moisture and protects the sensitive skin around your anus. Mar...

Last updated Jun 6, 2020

Do doctors and nurses hook up?

Should you date a doctor, or not? Some who have "been there, done that" or witnessed hospital romances first-hand take a pretty dim view of doctor-...

Last updated Apr 23, 2019

Promotion

Chocolate is good for blood flow, which means it’s good for your heart. But not all chocolate is created equal. We asked registered dietitian Mira Ilic, RD, LD, to give us the breakdown about which chocolate is best for your heart health. Advertising Policy Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Is chocolate good for your heart?

Ahh, the rich flavor of chocolate! It comes from the “flavonoids” in cocoa beans — which are also the reason that chocolate is so healthy for your heart. Flavonoids are antioxidants that fight cell-damaging free radicals in your body.

These flavonoids help your heart by:

Controlling cholesterol.

Lowering blood pressure.

Reducing your risk of blood clots.

Inhibiting sticky platelets.

Improving blood flow to your vital organs.

Dark chocolate is best for you because it’s the least processed chocolate, which means it contains the highest percentage of flavonoid-filled cocoa bean (cocoa).

Are all types of chocolate healthy?

Before you grab a chocolate candy bar or slice of chocolate cake, it’s important to understand that not all forms of chocolate contain high levels of flavanols. Cocoa naturally has a very strong, pungent taste, which comes from the flavanols. When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to reduce this taste. The more chocolate is processed (through things like fermentation, alkalizing, roasting, etc.), the more flavanols are lost. Dark chocolate. Also called semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate has at least 35% cocoa to be called dark. The remainder is cocoa butter (the natural fat of the cocoa bean), sugar, an emulsifier (what holds ingredients together) and vanilla or other flavorings. Milk may be added to soften texture.

Recommendations:

The darker the better! Eat chocolate with the highest cocoa content — 70% to 85%. Plain dark chocolate provides the greatest benefit. Avoid fillings unless they are nuts or dried or fresh fruit.

How many pumpkin seeds should I eat for bladder?

A typical dose is 1 to 3 1,000 mg capsules a day. You can find these at your local health food store. For the deepest healing you'll need pumpkin...

Last updated Jan 5, 2018

How do you flush cortisol out of your body?

Here are some recommendations: Get the right amount of sleep. Prioritizing your sleep may be an effective way to reduce cortisol levels. ......

Last updated Mar 27, 2021

Imagine Your Moment Of Freedom!

Fluxactive Complete is conveniently packed with over 14 essential prostate powerhouse herbs, vitamins and grade A nutrients which work synergistically to help you support a healthy prostate faster

Learn More »

Promotion

A little goes a long way. Enjoy up to 1 oz. daily. Be sure to trim calories elsewhere to avoid weight gain. Standard larger chocolate bars are around 3.5 oz. (about 100 g), so a good rule of thumb is to eat no more than ⅓ of the bar at a time. Nutrition: 8-12 g fat, 0 trans fat per 1 oz. or 28.4 g. Provides magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and trace amounts of vitamins. Milk chocolate. The FDA requires that milk chocolate contain at least 10% cocoa and at least 12% dry milk solids. Like dark chocolate, the remainder is cocoa butter, sugar, an emulsifier and vanilla or other flavorings.

Recommendations:

Eat in limited amounts. Milk chocolate is filled with more sugar and fat than dark chocolate. Nutrition: 12+ g fat per 1 oz or 28.4 g. Provides potassium and trace amounts of vitamins. White chocolate. A derivative of chocolate, it’s made of 20% (or more) of cocoa butter and up to 55% sugar, plus milk solids, lecithin and vanilla and other flavorings.

Recommendations: Avoid or eat in very limited amounts!

Nutrition: Not much! Mostly sugar and fat.

The bottom line

Chocolate with over 70% cocoa packs the best punch for your health, but enjoy it in small amounts: 100 g of dark chocolate has 500 calories! Unsweetened chocolate is 100% cocoa. It’s very bitter and only eaten as part of prepared baked goods. Try using 100% cocoa powder in hot cocoa, homemade baked goods and recipes (replacing milk chocolate) or add it to a smoothie or coffee for rich flavor.

health.clevelandclinic.org - Dark, Milk or White – Which Chocolate Is Best for Your Heart?

How long does it take for olive oil to increase testosterone?

One group was placed on a diet high in extra virgin olive oil for three weeks. At the conclusion of the study testosterone levels increased by...

Last updated May 10, 2020

Can you have cancer and doctors cant find it?

Sometimes secondary cancers are found in one or more parts of the body, but despite several tests, doctors can't find the primary tumour. If tests...

Last updated Dec 14, 2020

Promotion

Does winter increase testosterone?

With winter's shorter days and reduced sunlight, testosterone levels often decrease in men from November through April.

Last updated Nov 26, 2019

Promotion

Why don't you bleed during surgery?

During surgery Special anesthesia techniques can minimize bleeding by safely lowering blood pressure. A harmonic scalpel, which cuts tissues while...

Last updated Oct 11, 2022