Is Chocolate healthy?

The question is, are all kind of chocolate healthy? And what are the differences between dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate?

Today, i am going to clarify all your doubts on "Is Chocolate REALLY Healthy? "

Chocolate can be processed in a number of ways, and the manner in which it is processed has a major effect on its nutritional value. In general, the closer the final chocolate product is to the original cocoa bean, the higher the nutritional benefit will be.

Cocoa bean has the highest nutritional content. However, untreated cocoa bean is extremely bitter, and not at all like the processed chocolate you are used to consuming. So cocoa is treated to make it more palatable. The way it is treated has a large effect on how much nutritious chocolate have.

Powdered cocoa is also popular, and can have a high nutritional profile if prepared without cream, high-fat milk or large quantities of sugar.

In general, there are three types of chocolate that are processed as chocolate bars: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Dark Chocolate

For the best nutritional benefit from chocolate, turn to dark or semi-sweet chocolate. The higher the percentage of cocoa in the bar--70% or more--the more nutritional benefit you will receive.

• High level of antioxidants which help eliminate toxins that can cause diseases, lowering the risk of cancer and helping to regulate cholesterol

• Rich in epicatechin and Gallic acids which protect the heart from heart attacks

• Has benefits for cardiovascular health and lowers blood pressure.

• Acts as a brain stimulator, cough preventer and antidiarrheal effects

• Help blood flow more freely to the brain, which can aid older adults at risk for dementia or other health problem

• Lower hormone levels that cause emotional stress and anxiety.

Milk Chocolate

 Milk chocolate contains milk powder, sugar, and a small percentage of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It is the addition of milk powder and the low content of cocoa in milk chocolate that gives it a creamier and sweeter taste.

It's nutritional profile is higher than white chocolate as a reason of the small presence of cocoa in it, but its overall nutritional profile is reduced by the addition of milk and usually fairly large quantities of sugar.

When compared to dark chocolate, milk chocolate has a slightly higher dairy fat and calorie content but hardly enough to be noticeable. Due to the higher milk content in the milk chocolate there is a bit more calcium and protein than dark chocolate. However, milk chocolate has more saturated fats and cholesterol.

White Chocolate

White chocolate is the least nutritious of the three. Containing no cocoa, white chocolate is prepared from the cocoa butter. This cocoa butter is combined with milk and sugar to create white chocolate. Because of the absence of the cocoa solids, white chocolate has very low nutritional value.

For people who are seeking to lose weight, white chocolate is the wrong choice, for its richness in calories. 

On the other hand, it contains a bit of calcium. Moreover, as it does not contain chocolate, it is caffeine free so ideal for those who are sensitive to caffeine.

We all know that chocolate, in general, is tasty, but even the tastiest and healthiest chocolate should be consumed wisely and in the right amount. Dark chocolate, white chocolate and milk chocolate, are all bad if you abuse their intake. Eat wisely, stay healthy, you don’t want to gain weight or become addicted to them.