Why We're Crazy About Chocolate: The Sweet Truth

I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't love chocolate.

Chocolate holds a special allure in our culture, whether it's sweet or bitter, dark or light. Cocoa beans have a strong, bitter flavor.

Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine, and a small amount of caffeine. Cocoa is rich in iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, B, and C. It can also help protect against cancer and heart disease.

Chocolate is rich in antioxidants called "flavonoids," which have anti-inflammatory properties and protect various tissues in the body from oxidative damage. However, unfortunately, in most cases, the industrial chocolate-making processes significantly reduce the flavonoid content. Using cocoa provides more flavonoids than processed chocolate.

According to scientists, adding milk to chocolate negates its health benefits. Milk interferes with the absorption of chocolate's antioxidants, effectively neutralizing its protective potential.

One of the reasons chocolate is often considered unhealthy is that the types sold in stores contain large amounts of sugar, trans fats, and preservatives. Chocolate is seen as a "guilty" pleasure, fattening and addictive, yet it offers a natural energy boost and a good vibe.

Part of why we love chocolate is that it helps release serotonin in the brain, giving us a sense of pleasure. This feeling causes the strong craving for chocolate that many of us know well. In a world that grows more stressful each day, chocolate provides comfort, space, and relaxation. From a certain perspective, chocolate is an ideal food for those trying to gain weight.

Unsweetened cocoa contains high amounts of antioxidants, as does dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (above 70%).

Consuming a square or two per day, or a real cocoa beverage, can offer health benefits. However, the benefits can disappear when adding many calories, leading to weight gain and promoting diseases we wish to avoid.

So, is chocolate good or bad?

• Remember that food beneficial for one person may not be healthy for another.
• The less fat and sugar, the more antioxidants.
• Chocolate with fats other than cocoa butter contains trans fats, compromising its health aspects.

Zohara Sharvit is a naturopathic doctor N.D. and iris diagnostician, with extensive experience in treatment, consultation, and workshop facilitation. To book a complimentary workshop, call 073-2221290