Ahhh.. Chocolate. Sweet intoxicating richness – the inspiration of romantics for centuries. Certainly you made the perfect valentines day gift yesterday, for which I am sure many a happy face was created. In 1796 a Spanish army surgeon said it all, ‘Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine.’ So good are chocolate’s health benefits, for now modern science is even proving them to be true!
But before we proceed a step further lets discuss the kind of chocolate that is good for you, as it is certainly not the average overly-processed stuff found in most candy aisles. Healthy chocolate is at least 60 to 70%dark chocolate. Most candy bars do not even contain much real chocolate in them at all, being mostly filled with refined sugars and poor quality fats, so it pays to read the label. It is also good to seek out chocolate that is both organic, thus avoiding harmful chemicals, as well as fair-trade so as to guarantee that the farmers are getting paid well for their efforts.
Dark chocolate is a very nutrient dense food, containing many important vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E, pantothenic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese. It is composed of about 20% protein and upwards of 50% good quality fat. Chocolate is also rich in powerful antioxidants, called flavanols, which may help improve blood circulation. The list of health benefits from chocolate includes: better heart health, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of stroke, improved cholesterol profiles, and a smarter brain.
Eric Brand, a prominent Chinese medicine scholar and practitioner, educates us through his informative blog that in “the text Zhong Yi Shi Liao Yin Yang Xue (Chinese Medical Dietary Therapy and Nutrition), cocoa is sweet, balanced, and enters the heart channel. It arouses the spirit, relieves thirst, and disinhibits urination.”
In regards to skin health, studies have shown that regular chocolate consumption: softens the skin, protects the skin against the damaging effects of the sun, improves microcirculation to the deeper layers of the skin, rehydrates the skin, and improves the overall cosmetic appearance of the skin – thus giving it a nice radiant look. But again, these benefits come best from good quality dark chocolate, not those overly-sugared candy bars.
In the creams that I personally hand-make for patients, I will often use cocoa butter, usually combining it with shea butter. These two saturated plant-based fats create a fantastic barrier that helps lock moisture into the skin, while also offering nourishment. This means that cocoa based creams can help alleviate and prevent the dryness seen in many skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. In contrast, petroleum based products – such as vaseline – offer no nourishment whatsoever, and in fact may occlude the skin too much so that it cannot breathe properly.
So how much chocolate does one need to eat in order to obtain the healthy benefits? Well, research seems to indicate that about 50 grams per week of good quality 70% dark chocolate is enough, which is about half of a standard sized bar like Green and Blacks, or Camino (both companies use fair trade and organic chocolate). Basically, chocolate is best used as a small enjoyable supplement alongside a properly balanced diet containing a wide variety of fresh colourful vegetables, whole grains and quality proteins.
May your indulgences may be healthy as well!
Dr. Trevor Erikson
Copyright © 2019 Dr. Trevor Erikson