Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
Chocolate
often considered as
snack
which is not only delicious, but can also improve
mood
.However, can chocolate be called?
food
healthy?The answer, of course, is not as simple as ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Reporting from
WebMD
According to experts, chocolate contains ingredients that are beneficial for the body.However, there is also chocolate which can be detrimental to your health if consumed in excess.
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Experts assess the benefits of pure, unmixed chocolate for heart and brain health, and has the potential to reduce inflammation.
On the other hand, there are many chocolate products which are generally mixed with added sugar and fat, so they are more like sweet foods than healthy foods.
Flavonoids in chocolate
According to nutritionist Julie Stefanski from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, research on chocolate is complicated.
A person’s lifestyle, diet, medical conditions, and even genetics can influence research results.Apart from that, the terms ‘dark chocolate’ or dark chocolate in studies are not always the same.
Dark chocolate can mean cocoa powder, flavonol supplements, or simply chocolate bars that are usually sold on the market.These differences make the study results difficult to compare directly.
If chocolate provides health benefits, it most likely comes from compounds called flavonols, which are natural antioxidants from the cocoa plant.Flavonols are thought to support heart health, improve blood vessel function, and reduce inflammation.
Therefore, chocolate research is now focusing more on how flavonols work in the body.Epidemiologist from Harvard Medical School Howard Sesso in his latest research, found that people who took cocoa flavonol supplements every day for two years had lower CRP levels (
C-reactive protein
) which is lower.CRP is a marker of inflammation associated with heart disease risk.
Sesso’s findings are also in line with the results of a large study called COSMOS, which shows that consuming cocoa flavonol supplements can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by up to 27 percent.
Is chocolate a healthy food?
So, is chocolate a healthy food or not?The answer can be healthy, but it depends on the type and portion.
The thing to remember is that the good benefits of chocolate come from cocoa, not from the sugar or fat that is usually found in sweet chocolate.
Chocolate products on the market often have added sugar, milk and other ingredients so that the flavonol content is much reduced.
To get the benefits, choose dark chocolate with a higher cocoa content.Consumption must also be limited because chocolate is still high in calories.
By choosing the right type of chocolate and consuming reasonable portions, chocolate can become part of a healthier diet, without eliminating its enjoyment.
(avd/asr)
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