Is Chocolate Really Bad for You? Study Says Otherwise

For those of us with a sweet tooth, giving up chocolate is no easy feat. Luckily, nutritionists are now incorporating chocolate into healthy diets.

A new study is putting an end to the rumors that chocolate is harmful to your health. According to research conducted in Belgium, chocolate compounds may only be harmful in extremely high doses. In fact, what you thought was dangerous might actually benefit your body. One compound in chocolate is a molecule called carbonyl, which forms during the roasting of cocoa beans. Most carbonyl compounds are considered very safe, although a small number are potentially harmful and are banned as food additives in the European Union.

The researchers investigated whether these carbonyls appear in dangerous amounts. They prepared chocolate in a lab and found that all samples, formed during the roasting of cocoa beans and with the addition of cocoa butter, were considered safe.

They later purchased commercial baked goods such as wafers, crepes, and cakes with and without chocolate. They found that in nine of the products, lower levels of carbonyls were found in those with chocolate, while the less healthy compounds were present in higher amounts in non-chocolate items like crepes and cakes.

Currently, the limit is 0.15 micrograms of carbonyl per person per day, yet in this study, levels of 4.3 mg/kg were detected. This suggests that the carbonyls likely develop during the baking or heating process, but not from chocolate itself.

Dr. Sigal Sofer, Chief Dietitian for the Medical Division at Clalit Health Services in Israel, explaines that today’s chocolate typically contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sometimes milk. She notes that the quality of chocolate is determined by the type of cocoa and the total amount of cocoa solids. The higher the cocoa content (i.e., the darker the chocolate), the higher its nutritional quality. High-quality chocolate today contains at least 70% cocoa solids. Milk chocolate contains milk powder and far fewer cocoa solids whereas white chocolate, is made primarily from cocoa butter and contains no cocoa solids at all.

Dr. Sofer adds that cocoa solids are rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds that help protect blood vessels. Another important compound is theobromine, which helps dilate blood vessels and may contribute to lower blood pressure. Chocolate also contains compounds that can improve mood and cocoa is rich in potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin A.