Healthiest chocolate

Chocolate has never been seen as a health food, but there are some types of chocolate that have beneficial qualities.

Dark chocolate contains the highest percentage of cocoa solids, which usually means lower sugar. It has the most fibre, iron and magnesium and is the only variety with significant levels of antioxidants. Flavonols are the antioxidants naturally present in cocoa in its raw form.

Milk chocolate introduces calcium to the mix but is overall less nutritional than dark chocolate. White chocolate is the least healthy option, as the mix of cocoa butter, sugar and milk results in a higher fat and sugar content.

How healthy is cocoa?

The cocoa bean is the beating heart of chocolate, providing the unmistakeable brown colour and the signature chocolatey flavour. It also provides nutritional value in the form of antioxidants and a host of minerals.

Flavanols

Flavanols are antioxidant compounds that can help improve blood flow, and studies have linked regular consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa to reductions in blood pressure. According to the British Medical Journal, research has shown that dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. Other research cites an increased blood flow to the brain leading to a reduced risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

Theobromine

Cocoa is an excellent natural source of theobromine, which is a compound with similar properties to caffeine. The stimulatory effects of theobromine are much gentler than caffeine, and its bronchodilatory properties can even help to improve lung function. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content can contain over 400mg of theobromine per 100g, more than twice that of milk chocolate.

Minerals

The mineral content of the cocoa bean is impressive, with good provision of magnesium, iron and zinc. 100g of cocoa powder can contain up to 100mg of magnesium, which can help muscles, nerve function and blood pressure. As well as containing copper and selenium, a high-cocoa chocolate bar can deliver zinc at levels that could support the immune system.

Fibre

While most people associate dietary fibre with wholegrains and green vegetables, the humble cocoa bean contains a good amount of fibre. Therefore, dark chocolate is associated with healthy composition of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Modern chocolate vs the old recipe

Mainstream confectionery manufacturers have recently reformulated their products, quietly replacing cocoa butter and dairy fats with cheaper industrial alternatives; mostly palm oil and rapeseed oil. Cocoa butter is a natural, minimally-processed fat containing oleic acid and stearic acid. Oleic acid is the same monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, and stearic acid does not raise LDL cholesterol like other saturated fats do.

Palm oil has been widely adopted in mass-produced food because of its low cost and ambient consistency. The refining process of industrial palm oil involves deodorising and bleaching, and the result is a heavily-processed product with a low nutritional profile. Perhaps the more significant sacrifice is to the environment. Mass production of palm oil has resulted in significant deforestation in Southeast Asia, with devastating consequences for biodiversity.

Rapeseed oil is the most popular cheap fat substitute in Western food. While its cold-pressed versions can retain omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats, the most common form of rapeseed oil is refined to the extent that it produces ultra-processed foods. The refining process typically involves degumming, neutralising, bleaching, and deodorising, and the high temperatures used in processing can degrade nutrients.

The other ingredients commonly associated with cheaper substitutes further increase a product’s synthetic nature. Emulsifiers, stabilisers and modified starches have infiltrated the nation’s favourite chocolates in order to maximise efficiency and profit at the expense of taste and nutrition.

The Food Standards Agency stipulates that genuine milk chocolate must contain at least 25% cocoa solids and a minimum of 14% milk solids, while dark chocolate requires at least 35% cocoa solids. When the substitution of cocoa butter with cheaper vegetable fats goes too far, the product can no longer legally be called ‘chocolate’. This has recently occurred with products such as Club and Penguin, which are now billed as ‘crunchy biscuit with a chocolate flavour coating’.