How to Choose Dark Chocolate

I’m sure by now you have heard that dark chocolate is good for you. I’m going to tell you a little bit about chocolate, some health benefits and most importantly how to choose the chocolate that is good for you.

Eating chocolate as a child, it was usually milk chocolate, which really is just candy. This is not the chocolate that has health benefits. So put down the milk chocolate Easter bunnies and learn about the good stuff.

What is Chocolate?

Did you know that chocolate comes from a cocoa bean, which grows on cacao trees? Cacao trees only grow 20° north and 20° south of the Equator. There are 3 types of cacao trees: Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario. Great quality dark chocolate products often mention the type of tree the chocolate came from on the label. The best cocoa beans come from Criollo and Trinitario trees and these will produce more expensive chocolate bars.

What does “%” mean on a chocolate bar?

For the purpose of getting the health benefits of chocolate you must first only get “dark” chocolate and then look for anything greater than 70%. I personally get the 75% to 85% when possible; I never go below 70%. The higher the percentage, the higher the amount of cocoa in the bar and there is less amount sugar. Milk Chocolate is typically 30-40% cocoa, which means it mostly consists of sugar. Remember the cocoa has the health benefits, not the sugar.

The chocolate you see in bulk at the stores and that has TV ads, also has a ton of sugar in them and even if it might say “dark” chocolate it probably has less than 70% cacao and they still call it “dark” so read the labels.

Choosing Your Dark Chocolate:

In addition to choosing dark chocolate greater than 70%, read the ingredient label to ensure that you are getting the best chocolate possible. Rule of thumb: the fewer ingredients, the better the chocolate. And remember that the ingredients in the list appear in decreasing quantities.

• Cocoa/Cacao bean – should always be the first ingredient. Tip: Look for single origin bars - they list the country or plantation that the beans came from.
• Cocoa butter is typically ok - it is a natural fat in cocoa beans.
• Sugar is ok - when you choose the higher % chocolate there will be less sugar. Look for organic and natural sugars.
• Vanilla – is good and best if it says vanilla bean.
• Emulsifier/lecithin is ok - this is used to ensure that the ingredients are blended evenly, although I have had excellent chocolate without that. If you see soy lecithin always look for non-GMO

Say “NO” to these ingredients - it is not good quality chocolate if it contains any of these:

• Lactose
• Whey Powder
• Cocoa Powder
• Malt
• Butter Fat
• Vanillin
• Milk solids

Health Benefits

• Heart Health - high concentration of antioxidant called flavonols - nearly twice the amount in red wine and three times the amount in green tea (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry). Eating a square of dark chocolate daily increases the ability of blood vessels to dilate (Journal of American College of Nutrition).  Lowers the risk of having calcified plaque in arteries by 32%[1]
• Blood Pressure – can help lower blood pressure since it contains magnesium, potassium and low sodium
• Cholesterol – lowers LDL (the bad cholesterol) and improves HDL (good cholesterol)
• Antidepressant – contains serotonin and a small amount of caffeine and it stimulates brain and central nervous system
• Weight Loss – reduces insulin resistance, can help stop food cravings and reduces stress and cortisol levels
• Brain Health – improves blood flow to the brain

Tasting with All Senses:

• Eyes – Is it shinny? Solid color?
• Touch – Is it firm, smooth?
• Listen – Did it snap easily and neatly?
• Smell – What aroma do you smell?
• TASTE – Eat it slowly, bite smaller pieces and let it melt on your tongue and savor the taste!

Some of My Favorites:

• Amedei – (Italy) beans are only from select plantations in Venezuela
• Bonnat – (France) beans are from Madagascar and Venezuela
• Michel Cluizel – (France) single estate plantations
• Valrhona – (France) uses the finest beans from geographic areas, generally used in high-end restaurants
• Guittard (USA) – great for baking
• Scharfeen Berger (USA) – also great baking and tasting
• French Broad (USA) - just a few ingredients, usually just cacao and sugar (certified organic)

All the chocolate I listed above range from approximately $5.00 to $19.00 for a bar.

In conclusion, yes, dark chocolate is good for you when you eat the right kind. You will feel satisfied with a small amount and not feel the need to eat the whole bar when you choose the right kind. Generally, when there is a lot of sugar in a chocolate bar, that’s what is causing you to continue to eat more than one small square. Follow my steps and read the ingredient labels and you will find some great chocolate. If you have any chocolate emergencies or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy!

[1] http://www.sacredchocolate.com/docs/sacredpdf/chocolate-consumption-reverse-atherosclerotic-plaque.pdf