Tyra M. Carter, PhD, RD, LD

For a product to be real chocolate, it must contain cocoa butter and cocoa liquor (liquid from ground cacao beans – does not contain alcohol).

 

FDA standards prohibit use of any other fat besides cocoa butter or artificial sweeteners.

 

Cacao refers to the bean and is the source of chocolate liquor; cocoa is made by removing part of the cocoa butter and grinding the remaining part of the bean into a powder.

 

Natural cocoa has nothing added to it; Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated with alkali, and both products can be used in recipes.

 

Baking, or unsweetened, chocolate is pure chocolate with no added milk or sugar.

 

Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate are both dark chocolate and contain at least 35% chocolate liquor as well as cocoa butter and sugar. Sweet chocolate contains at least 15% chocolate liquor.

 

Milk chocolate contains at least 10% chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and at least 12% milk and/or cream.

 

And…just for the record, white chocolate is only chocolate in disguise! It does not fit the FDA definition for chocolate because it does not contain cocoa liquor and does not offer any health benefits.

"As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes; any month whose name contains the letter A, E or U is the proper time for chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

Recently I attended the national expo and conference of the American Dietetic Association in Chicago. Periodically, they had give-away books, and lines were always longest for Chocolate – A Healthy Passion by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden. This may come as a surprise to you, considering that this was a conference for dietitians and the co-authors of this book are registered dietitians. Naturally, February and chocolate go hand-in-hand and, according to Aaron and Bearden, 52 percent of all persons say their favorite flavor is chocolate, and 10 out of 14 individuals like chocolate.

Chocoholic questions and answers:

Why are health professionals focusing on the attributes of chocolate, and is there such a thing as healthy chocolate?

Research over the past decade has revealed the beans of the cocoa plant are extremely rich in flavanols. These are potent antioxidants that protect the body's cells from damaging effects of oxidation, and thus are related to reducing risk of various diseases. It should be noted that other foods such as fruits, vegetables, red wine and teas also contain flavanols.

Flavanols are associated with protection of blood vessels and promote blood flow to all tissues and organs of the body. They are associated with reducing clotting action in the blood, a risk factor for heart attacks and certain types of strokes. Dark chocolate has been associated with reduced blood pressure, which could potentially impact heart disease risk. Because inflammation in the body is associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's and some cancers, flavanols may function as anti-inflammatory agents to decrease incidence of various chronic diseases. Chocolate may also have beneficial effects on maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, increasing blood flow to the brain and keeping skin healthy.

With all the chocolate products available, how do I know which ones offer protective health benefits?

Dark chocolate contains highest amounts of flavanols and offers the most health benefits. In general, the higher the percentage of cacao, the darker the chocolate. As cacao content goes up, there's less room for sugar. To get the most flavanols from cocoa and chocolate, look for:

• Non-alkalized (natural) or lightly alkalized (Dutch-processed) cocoas.
• Darker chocolates made with at least 40% cocoa bean or cacao content.

Chocolate with 70% or more cacao will pack the biggest flavanol punch.

How much chocolate does it take to get benefits from flavanols?

Beneficial effects from flavanols have been seen with intakes as low as 150-200 mg per day. The estimated average intake for people in the United States is approximately 58 mg per day. You can refer to the tables below to compare flavanol content of foods, chocolate and cocoas as presented in Chocolate – A Healthy Passion.

Remember, chocolate contains fat and sugar that provide additional calories. Limit portion sizes by buying mini-chocolate bars or small pieces of chocolate, and limit yourself to one serving. Extra calories can add up quickly:

To burn 100 calories, it takes 15 minutes of brisk walking. Consider chocolate as a treat to provide potential health benefits. It is not a health food that should be eaten in 1-pound portions each day. Enjoy some in moderation since this month qualifies as the "correct time for chocolate dishes!"