CHOCOLATE is normally viewed as a treat to be enjoyed on occasion. But some have even tried to hail it as a 'superfood'.
Chocolate was discovered some 3,000 years ago by tribes who extracted the pods from cacao trees. Roasting the beans from the pods produced the earliest edible product, a non-alcoholic liquor consumed as drinking chocolate.
Dark chocolate which is high in cocoa, has seen a renaissance of late, this purporting the greatest health benefits.
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Cocoa is high in flavanols, a form of antioxidants. It is thought that these may combat free radicals, such as those found in cigarettes, which speed up the ageing process and also increase the risk of developing cancer.
The higher the cocoa content of any chocolate, the greater the presumed health benefits, with the figure of 70 per cent or more cocoa often used as a bench mark. This also means the chocolate will contain less sugar, fat and other calorie high but nutritionally poor additives.
Dark chocolate is high in fibre and certain minerals, for example magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc.
Several studies have linked it to reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, better memory, increased mood and positivity, as well as higher libido.
Chocolate is a calorie dense food. If you are trying to maintain a sensible weight, or struggling to lose it, overindulgence may hamper your efforts.
Some chocolate, typically milk and white, is high in sugars, which are linked to increased risks of inflammation, one of the processes in the development of heart disease.
High sugar foods do not provide feelings of fullness for long, and are linked to increased cravings, emotional irritability and an inability to control your blood sugars.
Chocolate contains caffeine. It can trigger anxiety, palpitations and insomnia.
As an acidic product it may worsen heartburn. Chocolate also contains oxalates which can increase the risk of kidney stones.
Added to this is the uncomfortable truth that a significant amount of cocoa bean harvesting has involved child and/or slave labour, hence the recommendation to purchase fair trade chocolate. Organic chocolate manufacture tends to involve less use of pesticides.
March is DECHOX month, to support research into heart and circulatory disease, supported by the British Heart Foundation
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