Lifestyle
Is Dark Chocolate Good For You?
1min read
We love a couple of squares as an evening treat, or to melt and bake into brownies — but is it actually good for you? Find out everything you need to know on whether dark chocolate can be healthy.
What is dark chocolate made from?
Dark chocolate is made from cacao beans which are fermented, roasted and dried. After this, the shells from the beans are separated from the cocoa nibs in a process called winnowing. The nibs are ground producing chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. When the liquor and the butter are mixed together, a paste is created that is then rolled and kneaded to make it smooth, and stabilizers and flavouring will then be added to create the chocolates we know and love.
What is the nutritional value of dark chocolate?
Though the nutritional value of chocolate will differ between brands, there are several health benefits of dark chocolate:
- It’s a good source of fibre. It’s also a good source of protein, containing 2g for every 20g each
- Naturally high in minerals such as manganese, iron, magnesium and copper.
- High in antioxidants and flavanols
Is dark chocolate good for you?
It turns out that, like a lot of things, dark chocolate can be good for you in small portions. It is high in antioxidants and flavanols, higher than quite a few fruits and vegetables such as blueberries. It is also believed that dark chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties that can help aid the digestive system. Ultimately, these benefits depend on whether more flavouring is added, such as sea salt or caramel, but generally dark chocolate can absolutely be incorporated into a balanced diet.
By Toni Olukiran
Toni is one of our lovely Content Marketing Assistants, and when she’s not writing posts about everything from Jamaican cooking to vegan champagne, she’s making a Spotify playlist (she was at 200, at her last count) or playing tennis in the park.
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