We are in the time of the year when chocolate is everywhere. Many delicacies are generally not bad for our health. But for this one, we can make an exception.

Ain't black who wants to

When we talk about chocolate , we draw your attention to the fact that only dark chocolate deserves your full attention. You can reserve the white or the milk one for a little pleasure, but the only one that has real positive effects on health is indeed dark chocolate.

In order to obtain an edible product, cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted (or left raw), before turning into cocoa mass. This paste is naturally composed of 55% cocoa butter and 45% cocoa powder. 

To qualify as " dark chocolate ", a chocolate must contain a minimum of 43% butter + cocoa powder. But it is from 65-70% cocoa that the health effects start to be interesting due to the amount of minerals and antioxidant s that 'it contains. 

We are far from that in milk chocolate which contains only 25% cocoa, the rest being sugar and powdered milk. Regarding white chocolate, it only contains cocoa butter, in addition to sugar and milk powder. This makes them fatty and sugary foods of no real interest. 

The ideal would be to aim for a 100% cocoa chocolate even if it is very bitter. However, you can get used to it by gradually going from 65 to 70 and then to 75% etc., until you find your taste. 

Good Food for the Heart

If cocoa is so good for you, it's because of its composition. 

It contains protein, fiber , iron (three dark chocolate squares meet 10% of daily iron requirements), phosphorus , magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, potassium, selenium, vitamin B ... but what sets it apart from other foods is its high content of polyphenols .

Researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, found that cocoa's antioxidant content was twice that of red wine, and almost four times that of red wine. more than that of green tea!

The team of scientists also measured the ability to neutralize free radicals of the 3 competitors. Again the cocoa wins hands down. The antioxidants in cocoa are said to derive their wonderful properties from their chemical nature which means that they are broken down and eliminated more slowly when ingested.

cocoa is therefore a major asset in helping the body fight against free radicals which contribute to cellular aging and cause many health problems (atherosclerosis, inflammation, certain cancers2).  

It contributes in particular to cardiovascular3 health because the polyphenols in cocoa also promote the dilation of the arteries. An action reinforced by its potassium content. Its fluidifying action on the blood limits also the formation of clots which can lead to an infarction or a stroke.