Chocolate has long been associated with guilty pleasures and small daily indulgences. For decades, the idea has been circulating that its consumption is linked to weight gain, acne or sleep loss. However, not all chocolates are the same, and the type of cocoa used makes all the difference in the way the body reacts, influencing the benefits of chocolate to health.
According to Aurelio Rojas, cardiologist at Malaga Regional University Hospital, “99% of people think that taking care is no to chocolate. The 1% inform you know that saying yes to cocoa 100% is playing in advanced mode.”
According to the expert, black cocoa chocolate has properties that can bring significant benefits to the body and brain, including positive effects on memory and mood. Rojas’s opinion was shared in a video published by the site Noticias Labor.
Benefits of Black Chocolate
Rojas explains that only black chocolate with at least 70% cocoa should be considered a functional food. “Flavonoids promote the elasticity of blood vessels and combat oxidative stress”, stresses the cardiologist.
According to the same source, positive effects include “reducing appetite, reducing blood sugar levels, increasing insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation and blood pressure, and improving mood and mood.”
Black chocolate can also “reduce LDL cholesterol levels, increase blood flow in arteries, help with premenstrual syndrome, increase the feeling of happiness due to Anandamide molecule and improve memory,” adds Rojas, also referring to the benefits for intestinal microbiota.
Demystifying some myths
The expert also clarifies some of the most common myths. “Black chocolate, even with high fat content, does not get fat, does not cause acne and does not interfere with sleep,” says Rojas. These effects result from the natural composition of cocoa, rich in flavonoids and other bioactive compounds.
The cardiologist warns that milk chocolate and white chocolate “cannot consider chocolates, are derivatives that contain sugar and additives that reduce their beneficial potential.”
According to the same source, “the best recommendation is 100% cocoa because it has no sugar or additives and contains the largest amount of bioactive molecules.”
Recommended quantity and nutritional profile
The daily dose recommended by the expert is 15 grams, the equivalent of a jaguar of chocolate or a spoon of cocoa powder. “This amount allows you to take advantage of the positive effects of cocoa without adding excess calories or fat to the diet,” explains Rojas.
According to, in nutritional terms, black chocolate has about 30% fatty matter, 6% protein and 61% carbohydrates, also providing essential minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, calcium and iron, which represent about 3% of its composition.
According to Aurelio Rojas, “when choosing a superior black chocolate, ideally 100% cocoa, it is possible to integrate it in the daily diet in a healthy way, enjoying its antioxidant effects and cardioprotectors without compromising health.”
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