Chocolate: The Sweet TruTh - DTE Energy · And as though we need another reason to like chocolate,...

Chocolate: The Sweet TruTh

Brand Name

Ghirardelli Twilight Delight

Lindt Excellence Intense Dark

Lindt Excellence Extra Dark

Côte d’Or Brut

Percent of Cocoa

72%

75%

85%

86%

A Little Goes a Long Way

As wonderful as it may be for

your health, this isn’t a license

to gorge on dark chocolate. It

still has plenty of sugar and

saturated fat, which may

mean extra pounds if you’re

not careful.

Research shows that 3.5 ounces

a day (2 squares) is enough to

get the heart-healthy benefits

without packing on the pounds.

And as though we need another reason to like chocolate, there is a growing body of evidence that it can be good for you. But not all chocolate is created equal. Milk chocolate and white chocolate don’t count—it’s the dark chocolate that has the hidden health advantages.

Dark chocolate is rich in healthy antioxidants like those found in fruits, vegetables, red wine and tea. These antioxidants are called flavonoids and they contribute to the pigment of chocolate. Therefore, the darker the chocolate, typically the more flavonoids it contains and the healthier it is for you.

In fact, studies have shown that eating dark chocolate can:

Lower high blood pressure

Improve cholesterol

Lower risk of heart disease

Improve insulin functioning to help prevent diabetes

Improve your mood by boosting serotonin in the brain

Price

3.5 oz. - $3.29

3.5 oz. - $2.29

3.5 oz. - $2.29

3.52 oz. - $3.25

All dark chocolate is not created equal. When selecting dark chocolate, you’ll want to pay close attention to the labels and look for the following:

High percent of cocoa. Choose a dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (at least 70%) to get more health-enhancing antioxidants.

Cocoa butter vs. oils. Make sure your dark chocolate is made from cocoa butter instead of palm and coconut oils. Cocoa butter is less processed, so it contains more of the healthy flavonoids. It also doesn’t contain unhealthy hydrogenated oils, added sugar or artificial flavors.

Be on the lookout for fats. Watch for other types of added fat like milk fat, hydrogenated vegetable oils or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. All of these negatively impact cholesterol.

Tips When Picking Out Dark Chocolate