It may improve cholesterol levels. Those who got the dark chocolate lowered their “bad” LDL cholesterol—the type that clogs arteries and slows the flow of blood—by about 12%.
Research continues to point to dark chocolate as having many health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, preventing blood clots, improving memory, lowering cholesterol and even preventing some types of cancer.
Dark chocolate is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show it can help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Studies show that dark chocolate — when it is not loaded with sugar and saturated fat — is indeed a heart-healthy chocolate treat and more.
Researchers say the polyphenols in dark chocolate can help the body form more nitric oxide, a compound that causes blood vessels to dilate and blood to flow more easily.
Most dark chocolate is high in flavonoids, particularly a subtype called flavanols that is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Some studies suggest chocolate or cocoa consumption is associated with a lower risk of insulin resistance and high blood pressure in adults.
Could Exceed Safe Heavy Metal Consumption. While dark chocolate can have positive effects on your health, a 2022 study by Consumer Reports found that eating dark chocolate everyday could be harmful for adults, children and pregnant people.
And even though quality dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate, it is still chocolate, meaning it's high in calories and saturated fat. To avoid weight gain, Amidor recommends eating no more than 1 ounce (oz) of dark chocolate per day.
Similar large-scale studies have suggested that people who regularly eat moderate amounts of chocolate may have lower incidence of high blood pressure, hardened arteries and even strokes.
Dark chocolate thins the blood and performs the same anti-clotting activity as aspirin. Many doctors recommend baby aspirin to reduce our risk of heart attack or stroke. Researchers at University of California, Davis have found that dark chocolate has a similar effect.
It contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants known to reduce the amount of pro-inflammatory molecules in the blood, increase HDL (“good” cholesterol) and lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels in the blood, and improve blood flow throughout the body.
Drinking teas, such as green or black tea, rooibos tea, or ginger tea may be good heart-healthy substitutes for other beverages. A study from 2011 found that drinking 6 cups of rooibos tea per day for 6 weeks helped to lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood in adults who were at risk for heart diseases.
In 2 large US cohorts of men and women, higher intake of avocado (≥2 servings/week) was associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.
And the winner is…
Dark chocolate! Because of its lower sugar and fat content and its higher flavanol content, dark chocolate has benefits over milk chocolate. However, both should be eaten in moderation because both contain more sugar and fat than is ideal in a heart-healthy diet.
It may trigger migraines in sensitive people. The diabetic patient should avoid dark chocolate as it may raise sugar levels in the blood and interfere with blood sugar control. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid dark chocolate as it contains caffeine and may interfere with growth.
Coffee has more vitamin B12 and fiber than chocolate. Coffee contains only 0.002 grams of saturated fat, which is 9260 times less than chocolate's 18.52 grams. Chocolate has more copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc than coffee. Chocolate provides 114 percent of your daily copper intake.
The key is lowering LDL and making lifestyle changes.
"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," says cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor. Plaque forms when cholesterol (above, in yellow) lodges in the wall of the artery.
A. If you have the gumption to make major changes to your lifestyle, you can, indeed, reverse coronary artery disease. This disease is the accumulation of cholesterol-laden plaque inside the arteries nourishing your heart, a process known as atherosclerosis.
When researchers did what's called a “cold pressor test,” where they plunge subjects' hands into buckets of ice water, they found that after dark chocolate consumption, arteries actually dilated when they're normally supposed to constrict.
You can enjoy dark chocolates as often as you want. However, for a person who wishes to lose weight with these chocolates, dark chocolates should be eaten on an empty stomach or 30 minutes after a solid-food meal. They can also be eaten as a snack between lunch and dinner.
What is the daily recommended amount of dark chocolate? The recommended “dose” is approximately 1 to 2 ounces or 30-60g, experts say. Indulge in anything more than that, and you may be consuming too many calories.
And moderate amounts of minimally processed, high quality dark chocolate may also be good for your health. Aim for chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. This contains more natural fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, and fewer other ingredients, like refined sugar and additives.