Ultimate Facts About Dark Chocolate You’ve Never Heard Before!
Dark chocolate is prominently known as a health miracle. But is it really doing us as good as it is claimed? And how do you recognize quality? The most important facts at a glance.
1. Dark chocolate is healthier than light chocolate When it comes to chocolate, the higher your cocoa content, the healthier (or rather, less unhealthy) it is. Because cocoa is a real superfood and, in addition to secondary plant substances, also provides magnesium, iron and calcium as well as B vitamins, niacin and vitamin E. Depending on the cocoa content, 1.5–3 of the valuable cocoa beans are in a dark chocolate bar. The proportion is significantly lower in milk chocolate, while white chocolate contains no cocoa at all, only cocoa butter, i.e. the fat of the cocoa bean.
2. Dark chocolate protects the heart Cocoa beans have always been considered a kind of remedy and were used for coughs and runny nose as early as the 16th century. In the 19th century they could even be bought in pharmacies as a tonic. It is now clear that chocolate is not medicine. Still, small amounts of dark chocolate with a high cocoa content are not unhealthy. Many studies now show that this can, among other things, lower blood pressure, reduce the production of stress hormones and protect the blood vessels from deposits. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular diseases, for example, is reduced. Dark chocolate is also said to have a positive effect on increased cholesterol levels and memory performance. The reason is the high proportion of bioactive plant substances in cocoa.
3. Antioxidants from dark chocolate keep the skin young. Dark chocolate also has an anti-aging effect. The numerous phytochemicals from cocoa beans have an antioxidant effect — that is, they protect cells. They protect the cells from damage caused by environmental influences and free radicals. These aggressive oxygen compounds lead to oxidative stress and not only favor many diseases, but also accelerate the aging process of the skin. Antioxidants slow down this undesirable effect. Good to know: some studies show that milk proteins can inhibit the effects of antioxidants. Therefore, you shouldn’t necessarily drink a glass of cow’s milk with chocolate and often prepare cocoa with a plant-based milk alternative such as almond or oat drink.
4. Raw dark chocolate is particularly rich in good ingredients Raw makes you happy — this also applies to chocolate. Like all raw food products, raw chocolate is never heated above 42 degrees during production. Thanks to the gentle production, as many of the good ingredients as possible in cocoa should be preserved and later end up in the chocolate. After all, raw cocoa contains more cell-protecting antioxidants than green tea or blueberries. Small downer: raw chocolate is usually less creamy and aromatic than conventional varieties.
5. Dark chocolate contains caffeine If you pay attention to your caffeine intake, you need to know that not only espresso, coffee and energy drinks contain caffeine. The natural alkaloid, which stimulates the cardiovascular and central nervous systems and displaces the tired messenger substance adenosine, is also found in chocolate. Dark chocolate contains on average around 50 milligrams of caffeine per 100 grams. When comparing, an espresso has 80 mg of caffeine.
6. The shorter the ingredients list, the better When buying chocolate, pay close attention to the list of ingredients. A good dark chocolate should only consist of cocoa and raw cane sugar and — if at all — contain some cocoa butter and real vanilla. Palm oil, clarified butter or artificial flavorings, on the other hand, do not belong in good chocolate. The price is also a crucial indicator of quality. For cheap varieties, cheaper cocoa is often used, so-called consumer cocoa. Fine cocoa is significantly more expensive, but also tastes more intense. By the way: Most dark chocolates are vegan, as they usually do not contain powdered milk.
7. Dark chocolate can make you happy Yes, chocolate can actually make you happy. But that’s not because of their ingredients. Even if it is said again and again. It is true that chocolate contains the substance phenylethylamine, which promotes the formation of the happiness hormone serotonin. But its concentration is so low that you would have to eat quite a few bars of chocolate for the substance to have an intoxicating effect of happiness. The effect is rather a psychological one: since childhood we have been rewarding and comforting ourselves with chocolate and associating it with feelings of happiness. So it is a kind of learned happiness maker — no more and no less.
8. Dark chocolate also makes you fat With all the health benefits: Chocolate is not a diet food. And even if it is a little lower in calories than whole milk and white chocolate: even dark chocolate provides an average of almost 600 kilocalories per 100 grams. That corresponds to a full meal. Therefore, as is so often the case, enjoy in moderation, not in masses. Treat yourself to good quality dark chocolate every now and then and then enjoy it consciously. If you let them melt slowly on your tongue, a piece is often enough to satisfy acute chocolate. And another tip: To benefit from the good ingredients in cocoa, you can also use raw cocoa powder or cocoa nibs (cocoa beans broken into pieces) and use them to spice up smoothies and shakes, but also muesli and porridge.
If you’re not sure which online dark chocolate store is best to buy chocolates from, then go and give Antidote Chocolate a try. I’m damn sure you will definitely like their delicious chocolates. Moreover, they do have an exquisite collection of dark chocolate gift box that you can give to your loved ones as a new year present.
