Chocolate and Health

Not long after the feast that is the holidays do we make another excuse to indulge in a little bit of sweetness. This time it's chocolate, in the name of love, of course.

Most of us have heard that chocolate has some health benefits such as lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol, cognitive benefits, and even mood improvement. This does not include white or milk chocolate, and definately does not include those ultra-processed bars filled with caramel, cookies and other junk. The less guilt-laden chocolate are dark chocolates, which contain antioxidants. Many candy bar companies are jumping on the dark chocolate bandwagon and making bars like Oh Henry and Kit Kat in dark versions. Don't be fooled, just because they're now made with dark chocolate doesn't make them that much of a healthier choice.

Don't forget to hold the milk - Research has found that drinking milk with dark chocolate may inhibit the body's ability to absorb the antioxidants, so you're not really getting any benefit.

The proposed health benefits of chocolate is not a license to binge, of course. Chocolate still has its downsides: Calories, fat and caffeine. As with everything, moderation is key. But for those chocolate fiends out there, you can probably get away with a small square of the good stuff every day or two (if you're able to keep it in the house without gobbling the whole thing). If you're not trying to lose weight, are physically active and have an otherwise healthy diet, a small daily dose won't hurt you.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate?page=2