Choosing the Healthiest Chocolate

Choosing the healthiest chocolate . . . are you choosing the chocolate most likely to provide health benefits?

Whist it is promising rather than conclusive, human trial research indicates that chocolate, specifically cocoa solids, may well have modest benefits, including;

📉 Reduced blood pressure

📉 Reduced LDL cholesterol oxidation

📉 Reduced chronic inflammation

📈 Improved cognition via improved cerebral blood flow

📈 Improved gut health, which can initiate multiple second-order benefits

Chocolate may well achieve these things thanks to several of its constituent parts, including:

✅ High Fibre (8-16 grams per 100 grams)

✅ Theobromine (the main alkaloid in chocolate)

✅ Mineral content (chocolate provides significant iron, magnesium, manganese & phosphorus)

✅ Polyphenol content, specifically catechins, epicatechins & procyanidins

Of these, the polyphenols stand out as having many positive effects & cocoa solids - the right type - are richer in polyphenols than almost any other food, including almost all berries (aronia berries may be higher)

However, if you want the benefits, selection of the chocolate that will be highest in polyphenols becomes important. At the same time, you can avoid chocolate higher in heavy metals lead & cadmium. Here is how I would do it.

👉 Higher Cocoa Solids, at least 85% since it is the cocoa solids, not the cocoa butter or added ingredients, that provide benefit

👉 Non-Dutched / Non-Alkalised, since this process vastly reduces polyphenols

👉 Whole beans roasted at lower temperatures, rather than nib roasted & higher temperatures

👉 Avoid the chocolate most likely to be higher in lead & cadmium, albeit note that many foods contain these heavy metals & chocolate is not a major dietary source (it may account for about 4% of exposure)

In practice, these 4 points can be covered by choosing craft chocolate over big brand, mass market chocolate.

Craft makers work closely with small holding farmers, very carefully choosing high quality beans, roasting the whole beans rather than the more vulnerable cocoa nibs and almost never dutching. Because they choose & develop beans with fantastic flavour, they do not need to add the other ingredients that mass market big brands do either.

Whilst I have no affiliation other than being an appreciative customer. I recommend buying from Cocoa Runners, which I think of as one part commercial enterprise, one part online museum of craft chocolate, and it only sells chocolate from craft makers.

My personal favourites include Taza, Le Pralus and Duffy's. A few squares after a meal makes a for a fantastic, low sugar, low calorie, high polyphenol dessert to savour. 🤤 🍫

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