IT dates back 1,500 years BC and its scientific name translates as “food of the gods”.
The UK is the fourth largest consumer worldwide, and we spend around £400million on the stuff annually.
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Crucially, it’s sweet, creamy and tastes delicious in just about everything.
You guessed it: chocolate.
Around 85million chocolate eggs are sold in celebration of Easter. But while it’s often seen as a fattening treat that can wreck our teeth and waistlines, chocolate isn’t all bad.
Kim Pearson, nutritionist and weight loss clinic founder, tells Sun on Sunday Health: “People are always surprised when I tell them there are health benefits.
“Too many of us associate healthy foods with dieting and deprivation, but chocolate is very much a part of my diet because I know it can be good for me.
“From reducing our risk of diabetes to future-proofing systems our body needs for life, there are plenty of reasons we should all be including chocolate in our diets.”
Sadly though, not just any old choc will do. To get maximum impact, you need to go dark.
“Not all chocolate has the same health benefits,” says Kim.
“As a general rule, the higher the cocoa per cent the lower the sugar content and the greater the health benefits.
“So rather than milk or white chocolate, you want a dark variety that’s 70 per cent minimum.”
Got a cupboard full of Easter eggs? Here, Kim, who specialises in metabolic health and longevity, shares 9 reasons to stop feeling guilty about indulging…
A HEALTHY HEART
“DARK chocolate contains antioxidants, and studies show these fight oxidative stress, which can be a contributing factor for heart disease,” Kim says.
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine found eating chocolate more than once a week was associated with an eight per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease.
“Dark chocolate also contains epicatechin, a flavanol, or type of plant compound, linked to improved heart health by making blood vessels more elastic and lowering blood pressure.”
Research by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found up to three bars a month could cut a person’s risk of heart failure by 13 per cent compared to eating none.
BRAIN BOOST
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THOSE same flavanols are said to protect the brain too.
Kim says: “Studies have found dark chocolate improves memory and attention by promoting blood flow to the brain.
“There are also studies to suggest it can help protect against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.”
Research by Queen’s University Belfast revealed six additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks, like berries, tea, red wine and dark chocolate, per day was associated with a 28 per cent lower risk of dementia.
DIABETES BUSTING
EATING at least five squares of dark chocolate every week could lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 21 per cent, according to a study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Considering more than five million people in the UK have diagnosed type 2 diabetes and it costs the NHS around £8.8billion annually, that could be a huge reduction in both spending and cases,” Kim says.
LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
ONE in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure, but dark chocolate could help improve these statistics.
Just one small square a day for 18 weeks reduced readings in those aged 56 to 74 over 18 weeks in a German study published in the British Medical Journal.
“The science suggests it helps dilate blood vessels, reducing the pressure they’re placed under,” Kim says.
GOOD GUT HEALTH
WE’RE told to eat a high-fibre diet with minimal sugar to look after our guts. But dark chocolate could also help to keep them healthy.
“Rich in polyphenols which act as prebiotics and fuel good gut bacteria, dark chocolate consumption helps with a healthy gut biome,” Kim says.
“This has been linked to a reduced risk of a host of diseases, including cancer.”
SLASHED STROKE RISK
RESEARCH from Canada involving over 44,000 people found those who ate one chocolate serving a week were 22 per cent less likely to experience a stroke than participants who ate none, Kim says.
“People who ate 50g once a week were 46 per cent less likely to die from stroke,” she adds.
YOUTHFUL SKIN
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BUT chocolate doesn’t just help us internally.
“Research has found flavanols increase blood flow to the skin, improving density and hydration, so dark chocolate could actually make us look younger,” Kim says.
German researchers found cocoa butter and dark chocolate were sources of vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy skin and bones.
And in a study by Seoul National University, women with skin damage and premature ageing who drank cocoa every day for 24 weeks had fewer visible facial wrinkles and roughness than the placebo group.
EASED STRESS
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MANY of us reach for a bar of choccy when we’re stressed.
“And it’s not just a placebo effect,” Kim says. “Research has found people who consume dark chocolate have reduced levels of cortisol, known as the stress hormone.”
Scientists at Loma Linda University said that in addition to making you happier from the sugar, chocolate with a cacao percentage of over 70 reduces stress and inflammation, and improves mood, memory and immunity.
Kim adds: “There’s also something to be said for the fact chocolate is a treat, and anything we do mindfully can benefit our mental health.”
BOOSTED IMMUNE SYSTEM
WITH antioxidants and minerals like zinc, dark chocolate can support the immune system too, Kim says.
“Flavonoids reduce inflammation, cocoa contains T cells which the body needs to be able to fight off infection, and zinc is essential for good immune cell function,” she adds.
A small study published in the FASEB Journal found that after eating 48g of dark chocolate daily for eight days, blood samples showed an increase in T cells.
Cocoa, which contains theobromine – often used in cough medicines – has even shown promise for suppressing coughs in research by Imperial College London.