Unwrapping the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

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CLEVELAND - July 7 is World Chocolate Day. 

If you’re looking for an excuse to indulge in the sweet treat, why not try some dark chocolate? 

It actually offers some health benefits. 

“Dark chocolate has a higher cocoa amount. So, you want to look for something 70% or higher. And because of those polyphenols, which are those antioxidants that come from that plant, it gives us a lot of free radicals, which help with cell damage. There's been a lot of research that suggests that it is good for our hearts and for our minds,” said Beth Czerwony, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic. 

Czerwony said the recommended amount of dark chocolate per day is one ounce, which is about one square piece of chocolate. 

As for the best kind to get, look for anything with 70% or more cocoa and less than eight grams of sugar. 

You don’t want to get anything that’s loaded with other ingredients. 

Czerwony notes that dark chocolate is an acquired taste and can be bitter. 

So, if you’ve never had it before, try sampling a little at a time. 

You could even add it to other foods you like. 

“You can dip it with fruit, but you can also add dark chocolate chips to granola or trail mix. You can add it in with your baking, so if you're having muffins or breads. The other option is buying cocoa nibs, which are just little pieces of dark chocolate. You can add that to almost anything,” she said. 

Czerwony said if you prefer milk chocolate or white chocolate, be sure to enjoy it in moderation. 

Both are high in sugar and fat content.