“Biochemically, love is just like eating large amounts of chocolate.”

— John Milton

Key Takeaways

Everybody can benefit from more chocolate in their lives.
Chocolate is one of the healthiest foods you can consume because it may:
- Reduce blood pressure
- Decrease risk of heart disease and stroke
- Improve blood sugar control
- Boost brain health
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve mood
- Relieve stress
When enjoying chocolate for its health effects, stick to bars or chips with 70% or greater cocoa content or minimally processed cacao/cocoa powder.
Ways to consume more chocolate include snacking on a bar or chips, mixing powder into smoothies/yogurt, and drinking hot cocoa/tea made with cacao.
A chocolate bar will not replace medication or be a suitable stand-in for your therapist, but frequent cocoa consumption certainly has the potential to improve multiple aspects of your health.

Full Story

What do Willy Wonka, Milton Hershey, and H.B. Reese all have in common? Each man built their legacy on one of the healthiest and most heavenly foods — chocolate!

That’s right, chocolate is actually good for you. No, I’m not kidding and Hershey is not the newest sponsor of Solokas Focus, either. I’m serious! Chocolate is chock full of antioxidants that have been shown to improve metabolic and cardiovascular health, boost brain function, and (unsurprisingly) reduce symptoms of depression.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not touting the boatload of added sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oils that you’ll find in your classic gas station chocolate bar. In its purest forms, though, chocolate consumption truly offers an abundance of positive health effects.

Don’t believe me? Ask the Mayans - chocolate has historically been referred to as the “Food of the Gods” (1). Quite a title to live up to, but due to its flavor and health-boosting effects chocolate has stood the test of time. Whether you’re sharing chocolate with a loved one this Valentine’s Day or waiting until Monday’s sales, everybody can benefit from more chocolate in their lives (and mouths). Here are the top 7 reasons to eat more chocolate.

Reduce Blood Pressure

Nearly 1 in 2 Americans has high blood pressure, a condition associated with a host of other deadly chronic diseases. Cocoa consumption has been shown to increase levels of nitric oxide, a molecule that facilitates vasodilation (blood flow) and reduces blood pressure (2, 3, 4).

This 2017 review found that short term consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products slightly reduced blood pressure (by 2mmHg) in healthy subjects and to an even greater degree in those with high blood pressure (5). Your Hershey’s bar won’t replace medication if you’re hypertensive, but its blood pressure reducing effect certainly illustrates the positive impact that chocolate can have on your cardiovascular health.

2. Decrease Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart disease, the most common condition that high blood pressure can lead to, is the #1 cause of death worldwide. I’m not saying that heart attacks don’t stand a chance against chocolate chips, but our sweet little friend may slightly reduce your risk.

This study found that cocoa intake can reduce blood pressure enough to reduce risk of heart attack and death (6) and the findings of this 2016 review suggest that cocoa intake has a positive effect on many metabolic and heart health biomarkers (7). Moreover, cocoa intake has been shown to have favorable effects on cholesterol levels and impart a “blood thinning” effect similar to aspirin, both of which further slash your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke (8, 9, 10).

3. Improve Blood Sugar Control

You may expect that chocolate is the last food you should be eating if you have insulin resistance or diabetes. On the contrary, cocoa consumption has been shown to improve blood sugar control by increasing insulin sensitivity in those with and without Type 2 Diabetes (11, 12). The results of this cohort study even suggest that there may be an inverse relationship between intake of flavonoids found in cocoa and type II diabetes incidence (13).

Further research is needed - some short-term studies have found cocoa intake to have little to no effect on blood sugar control (14). The majority of the evidence, though, indicates that chocolate consumption has beneficial metabolic effects for most people (15, 16).

4. Boost Brain Health

The heart gets all the love on Valentine’s Day, but there is no doubt that chocolate is one of the best foods you can consume to promote brain health. We already learned that cocoa consumption increases production of nitric oxide and improves blood flow throughout the body. In regard to cognition, nitric oxide is pivotal because it increases cerebral blood flow and improves brain function (17).

In addition to its effects on brain blood flow, flavonoids in cocoa have been linked to the prevention of brain cell death and the promotion of neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity (scientific jargon for “makes your brain work faster”) (18). Finally, frequent cocoa consumption has been repeatedly shown to improve cognitive performance (19, 20, 21). If you’re suffering from brain fog or not feeling as sharp, a chocolate bar may be just the fix you need.

5. Reduce Inflammation

Chocolate consumption may douse the flames of the single most insidious driver of long term disease, chronic inflammation. Multiple studies have found an association between cocoa consumption and reduced markers of inflammation including CRP, the primary indicator of chronic inflammation (22, 23, 24).

This study found a J-shaped relationship with chocolate intake and inflammation, showing that those that consumed up to 20 grams of dark chocolate/day had significantly lower CRP levels than those that consumed less or more each day (25).

Though still exciting, the magnitude of the effect is questionable. The effects of cocoa on inflammation in in-vitro (on a cellular level) studies are promising, but this 2016 review found that, in most human studies, cocoa consumption had a slight to insignificant inflammation-lowering effect (26).

Overall, it appears that chocolate intake may reduce inflammation in some people and have little to no effect in others. To be safe, I’d recommend going for the chocolate.

6. Improve Mood

Eating chocolate makes you feel better - duh, right? Cocoa consumption has been shown in multiple populations to reduce feelings of depression and improve sense of well-being (27). This study in men found an association between chocolate preference and higher levels of optimism and psychological well-being (28). As a cute example, these researchers found that pregnant women that had eaten more chocolate during their pregnancy gave birth to happier babies (awww) (29).

Similarly, this study found that the consumption of a cocoa drink resulted in higher levels of contentment and this 2019 study of over 13,000 people found that those that consumed chocolate were 70% less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms when asked <24 hours later (30, 31).

Lastly, this review found a link between flavanol-rich cocoa product consumption and:

A positive effect on mood disorders
Improved motivation
Improved cognitive performance and blood flow
Antidepressant properties in animal models (32).

As millions of heartbroken people and Sonny the Cuckoo Bird can attest, chocolate is often the perfect treatment to get you out of your emotional rut (33).

7. Reduce Stress

If its not clear by the fireworks of hedonic pleasure that are set off after you set a piece of chocolate on your taste buds, cocoa reduces stress!

This controlled study of 40 women found daily chocolate consumption to be effective at reducing perceived levels of stress (34). The authors of this 2018 paper came to a similar conclusion: dark chocolate consumption reduces stress levels and has a positive effect on mood, memory, cognition, and immunity (35).

If you’re feeling especially stressed, skip the beer or “prescription stress relievers” and reach for some dark chocolate instead.

-Disclaimer-

A chocolate bar will not replace your blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and antidepressant medication or be a suitable stand-in for your therapist. Many in the health and wellness space focus on the harmful aspects of every food and crush your dreams of ever “eating healthy,” but I enjoy shedding light on the unexpected positive effects of a well-balanced diet. That being said, the evidence supporting some of the effects are relatively weak and/or the effect size is small. Regardless, the health promoting effects of certain dietary compounds highlight the benefit of including so- called “super foods” into your diet.

Not All Chocolate is Created Equal

Although you’ll find traces of antioxidants in any chocolate product, some are definitely healthier than others. A good rule of thumb is to primarily consume chocolate that has a cocoa content of 70% or greater.

In general, you’ll want to avoid products like these:

Hershey’s kisses and most Hershey chocolate bars (Sorry, Mr. Milton)
Pretty much any treat you’ll find in a vending machine or at a gas station (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, Milky Ways, etc.)
Chocolate syrup/hot fudge

And stick to “healthier versions” such as these:

70% or higher dark chocolate bar and chips (the higher the %, the higher the antioxidant content!)
Dark chocolate bars and chips sweetened with Stevia (“Lilly’s” is my favorite)
Dark chocolate covered fruit and nuts

For more, check out this list of some of the healthiest chocolate products (36). Tip - If the product is on the list of America’s most popular chocolate candies, it is probably not beneficial for your health (37).

Wrap Up

If you’re a crazy person that needs more ways to consume chocolate, try:

Snacking on any 70% or greater dark chocolate bar/chips/product
Mixing cacao powder into oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, or dessert
Sipping on an all natural “hot cocoa” or tea made with cacao

However you choose to devour your chocolate, now you can do it guilt free! The next time someone catches you with chocolate covered finger and lips, surrounded by a pile of empty wrappers, just show them this list that proves chocolate (the real kind) is truly one of the healthiest foods you can consume. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Sources:

7 Reasons To Eat Chocolate - “Food of the Gods”

Key Takeaways

Full Story

Reduce Blood Pressure