Thomas Jefferson once said:
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
Truer words were never spoken. But where does chocolate come from, what are its health benefits and what do the studies say? There's a wealth of information out there and many differing and varying opinions, so this article will look at just a few of the chocolate-covered pieces sweet lovers the world over hold dear.
The History of Chocolate
Before chocolate lovers can appreciate and understand how this super food can hold so many health benefits for its beholder, it's important to understand a little about the history of chocolate and where it comes from.
As the Chocolate Review, which considers itself the online resource for chocolate lovers, tells it, the life story of chocolate starts a little over 3000 years ago. The site explains, "While there are images on Mayan pottery dating back to 1000BC, most historians believe the cacao tree was first cultivated by the Olmecs, who lived in Central America, near the equator and the Gulf of Mexico."
When the Aztecs discovered the cacao beans that others worshiped and transformed into drink, they named the beans cacahuatl, meaning “sun beans.” Cacao beans were used primarily as currency and a beverage at this time. The beans were so valuable, they were the only permitted form of payment of taxes levied by the Aztecs rulers.
Even then, many thought of cacao as both medicinal and an aphrodisiac; many warriors consumed it to strengthen themselves for battle.
Yes, Chocolate Really Does Grow on Trees
Facts-About-Chocolate.com notes that chocolate comes from a small tropical tree, the Theobroma cacao, usually called simply, "cacao." (Pronounced ka-KOW. Theobroma is Greek for "food of the gods.") Cacao is native to Central and South America, but it is grown commercially throughout the tropics. About 70% of the world's cacao is grown in Africa.
Health-Promoting Nutrients of Chocolate
In her book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington Books, 2010), Cal Orey reports that medical researchers around the world continue to find new health-promoting nutrients - there are believed to be at least 300 to 400 - in chocolate. Like red wine, green tea and many fruits and vegetables, cocoa contains flavonoids (polyphenols), naturally occurring compounds that act as powerful antioxidants (disease-fighting enzymes that protect our bodies by trapping free-radical molecules and getting rid of them before damage occurs).
Just one and a half ounces of chocolate has the same amount of phenols as a five-ounce glass of red wine, according to Andrew Waterhouse, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of California, Davis, in Liz Applegate's book, 101 Miracle Foods That Heal Your Heart (Prentice-Hall Press, 2000).
Even the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic promotes the heart-health benefits of chocolate. The Cleveland Clinic Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute notes that its visitors may be surprised to find out that chocolate isn’t as bad as once perceived. That's because the fat in chocolate, from cocoa butter, is comprised of equal amounts of oleic acid (a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids. Stearic and palmitic acids are forms of saturated fat. Saturated fats are linked to increases in LDL-cholesterol and risk for heart disease.
Eating Chocolate As a Way to Lower Stroke Risk
Mary Brophy Marcus of USA Today recently reported on a new analysis, which involved a review of three prior studies, suggesting that eating approximately one bar of chocolate each week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke. While Study author Neurologist Gustavo Saposnik of St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, admits the evidence is limited, it's still there and worth further review.
What Kind of Chocolate is Best to Eat?
A website called Chocoholics Heaven says that one ounce of dark chocolate per day or seven ounces per week provides the needed antioxidants. Dark chocolate, known as “bittersweet” or “semisweet” chocolates are best because they have a higher percentage of cocoa and little or no added sugar.
Chocoholics Heaven stresses that dark chocolate should be made from cocoa butter rather than fats like palm or coconut oils. The darker the chocolate, the more flavonoids are in the chocolate. Note that milk binds to antioxidants, making them unavailable, so milk chocolate is not an antioxidant source.
Have You Had Your Chocolate Today?
Looking for a reason to consume that leftover Valentine's Day candy? Go ahead! With Easter right around the corner, go on, pick up that chocolate bar, take a bite and enjoy the health benefits that this super food offers. Just remember to eat this delicious treat in moderation and give a small measure of thanks to the Aztecs, Thomas Jefferson and the countless scientists and researchers who have studied this sweet indulgence so that others may enjoy it (somewhat) guilt-free.
For more information, check out fellow Suite101.com author Sabine Blaizin's article, Chocolate and All its Wonders.
Amanda Griffith - Amanda Sina Griffith, principal of Bumble PR, has planned and executed media relations and PR campaigns for more than 10 years. ...
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