A: All foods can be considered part of a balanced and healthy diet. Generally, it depends on how much of given food that you consume as part of your daily diet that makes it balanced or not – balanced is good. Chocolate is one food that tastes good, but may also be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Additionally, research suggests that certain components of chocolate, or flavonoids, may be protective against heart disease and stroke. Flavonoids are present in a variety of foods including cocoa, chocolate, tea, and red wine. The flavonoid content of foods is diverse with different foods containing various concentrations of different types of flavonoids. Additionally, depending on the processing of the food, much of the flavonoid content can be lost or destroyed. Table 1, shows the flavonoid content for various foods and beverages.
| Table 1. Food and Beverage sources of Flavonoids.*: |
| Source |
Serving Size |
Flavonol Content |
| Apple |
100 g |
110 mg |
| Cherry |
100 g |
96 mg |
| Dark Chocolate |
100 g |
510 mg |
| Red Wine |
100 ml |
63 mg |
| Black Tea |
100 ml |
65 mg |
*Adapted from Scalbert and Williamson, J Nutrition 130: 2073S-2085S, 2000 and Hannum, SM, et al. Nutrition Today 37(3):103-109, 2002.
The health benefits of flavonoids are thought to be due to their antioxidant properties. Oxidative stress, or excess free radical production, is believed to play a role in cardiovascular disease and stroke. Therefore, antioxidants may be protective in cardiovascular disease and other diseases because of their ability to neutralize free radicals. Research suggests that flavonoids can protect against blood clotting and inflammation. However, more studies need to be done in order to determine which components of the flavonoid family are beneficial and whether they are really protective against disease.
Aside from the positive health benefits associated with chocolate, some components of chocolate may have negative health benefits. For example, chocolate bars are generally high in fat. Diets high in saturated fats are associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke.
In summary, recent evidence suggests that chocolate may be protective due to the antioxidant value of the flavonoid component. So consuming chocolate in moderation as part of a healthy diet may be protective against disease and something you enjoy.
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