There is absolutely nothing that a bar of good old chocolate can’t solve. This sweet treat is enjoyed by all, whether you are 5 or 50. Sold in mainly three varieties, white, Milk and Dark, all of which are equally popular among chocolate.
However, in this article, we will be exploring the health benefits of Dark Chocolate and how it has become a familiar name in our household.
Chocolate is derived from the Cacao plant mostly found in West Africa, South America and Australia. It is fascinating that Chocolate has a 4000-year-old history that started with The Olmec (an ancient civilization of Mexico) turning cacao seeds into chocolate.
Then it travelled to Spain, Europe and finally was introduced to the rest of the world during the time of the Industrial Revolution.
Milk Chocolate gained popularity in European countries, accessible only to the elite and the royalty. Consecutively they started experimenting with dark chocolate by adding sugar, milk and honey.
However, only the 20th century brought back the reign of Dark Chocolate, promoting its numerous health benefits and nutritional value.
Nutritional value of dark chocolate
- Calories: 604
- Carbohydrates: 46.36 g
- Dietary fibre: 11.00 g
- Sugar: 24.23 g
- Fat: 43.06 g
- Protein: 7.87 g
- Iron: 12.02 mg
- Magnesium: 230.00 mg
- Zinc: 3.34 mg
- It is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that can reduce inflammation, and protect cells from oxidative damage. Together, these can also prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and even help in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
- To achieve these health benefits, a person needs to consume dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cacao content. The recommended dose of tis sweet treat should only be limited to 30-40 grams per day.
- Eating more than that could mean that one may be consuming too many calories along with a greater intake of caffeine that can cause nausea, racing heartbeat and sleeplessness.
