Cacao is a plant with a lot of nutrients and antioxidants that is used to make chocolate. Milk chocolate contains small amounts of cacao in addition to milk, sugar, and cocoa butter. Dark chocolate, however, contains much more cacao and much less sugar than milk chocolate. Minerals like iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc are abundant in dark chocolate. These minerals are utilized by your body to support functions like immunity (zinc), maintain the health of your bones and teeth (phosphorus), and improve the quality of your sleep (magnesium). Dark chocolate also includes flavonoids, which are antioxidants found in cocoa and may have a number of health advantages.
Furthermore, dark chocolate consumption on a regular basis may help lower the risk of heart disease, also flavanols encourage the body to produce more nitric oxide that increases blood flow and decreases blood pressure by widening blood vessels. Likewise, according to studies, the flavanols in cocoa can increase blood flow to the skin and shield it from UV ray damage. Dark chocolate and cocoa have a good fatty acid profile as well, oleic acid, a heart-healthy fat also present in olive oil, stearic acid, and palmitic acid make up the majority of the fats. The good news isn't through yet. Dark chocolate or cocoa may also boost blood flow to the brain, which could enhance cognitive performance. Theobromine and caffeine are among the stimulants found in it, but, although theobromine and caffeine are both stimulants found in dark chocolate, they are far less potent than those found in coffee, thus they are unlikely to keep you up at night.
A dark chocolate bar with 70-85% cocoa solids weighing 101 grams (g) has the following benefits, per the United States Department of Agriculture: 604 calories, 7.87 grams of protein, 43.06 grams of fat, 46.36 grams of carbs, 11 grams of dietary fiber, 24.23 grams of sugar, 12.02 milligrams (mg) of iron, 230.00 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, and 3.34 milligrams (mg) of zinc.
Always remember that, the key to any sweet treat is moderation. Dark chocolate has various advantages over other types of chocolate in terms of antioxidants like flavanols. However, this does not imply that you should overindulge in chocolate every day. It still contains a lot of calories; it should absolutely be enjoyed in moderation.
PDO I- Ayesa Gay A. Bejerano, RND
References:
Dark Chocolate Health Benefits
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dark-chocolate-health-benefits/
7 proven benefits of dark chocolate
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7
What are the health benefit of dark chocolate
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dark-chocolate#anti-in
