Not for nothing has the chocolate been anointed the most sinful of indulgences. Despite the ills attributed to the brown bars, chocoholics around the world fail to be dissuaded, some going so far as to legitimise their weakness. More than persuasion, perhaps they need a stronger dose of facts. Here are some.Chocolates contain more than 400 different compounds. The dark variety, in particular, has been found by researchers to contain polyphenolic compounds called flavanoids, including catechins, epicatechins, procyanidins, among others. Flavanoids are also found in fruits, vegetables, wine and tea and are known for their antioxidant activity, preventing oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol, anti-cancer effects, lowering blood pressure, inhibition of platelet activity and inflammation, and for boosting the immune system. Other benefits include their ability to improve mood and relieve stress. Chocolate is believed to boost serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. These are largely due to substances called phenyl ethyl amine (PEA) and tyramine. The smooth consistency (due to cocoa butter) along with caffeine also helps elevate the mood. No wonder women are known to use it as a fix for their premenstrual stress. Chocolate contains significant amounts of caffeine and a 100 gm bar of dark chocolate contains more caffeine than a cup of instant coffee. Chocolate also provides magnesium and some iron. Magnesium is good for bones and helps control craving for food. While cocoa powder, dark chocolates, white chocolates and milk chocolates all come from the cocoa tree, the difference in their composition and processing gives them the unique characteristics. The cocoa tree’s scientific name is Theobroma cacao, with thebrome meaning “the food of gods”. When cracked, cocoa beans are called nibs. These are powdered and the heat generated melts the fat (cocoa butter). The suspension is called chocolate liquor. When the fat is squeezed out, the remaining solids are dried into a powder called cocoa. It doesn’t contain much fat and has the same benefits as dark chocolate. Chocolate liquor can be solidified with cocoa butter without the addition of sugar to form an unsweetened chocolate called dark, bitter, luxury or continental chocolate. Dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa solids, at least 75 per cent, and a little sugar. In unsweetened varieties, the cocoa solids may be as high as 98 per cent. It is these varieties which have been used in research studies and have been found to have cardio-protective and other health benefits. Chocolate liquor can be mixed with sugar and fat to produce plain sweet chocolate, can be used for cooking, or processed with sugar, milk and cocoa butter to make milk chocolates. These have a very high sugar content, up to 50 per cent, and only about 20 per cent cocoa solids. They can also contain up to 5 per cent vegetable fat (a source of harmful trans fats), instead of cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is a neutral fat and does not increase blood cholesterol levels. However, if taken in excess, it can cause weight gain and related complications. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, flavour and milk, and no cocoa solids. So, unlike the dark chocolates, it offers no health benefits. The next time you indulge yourself in the sinful chocolate, make sure you go in for the darkest variety and the one that has the highest percentage of cocoa solids. Give it a miss if it has hydrogenated fats. Remember, there’s 500 kcals in a 100 gm bar of dark chocolate, and for a fraction of those calories, you can get most flavanoid benefits from bright coloured fruits and veggies.-The writer is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being, one should integrate physical, mental and spiritual health. According to her: “To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.”
