We love dark chocolate. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Halloween or just an ordinary Tuesday, it seems to make everything better. But dark chocolate doesn’t just make us happy because it tastes great.
This delicious treat is one of the most complex foods we know and contains over 300 natural chemicals, including one called phenylethylamine, which arouses similar feelings to those we feel while we’re in love.
So when we say we love dark chocolate, it’s because we really might be in love with it!
Is dark chocolate healthy?
Short answer: Absolutely.
Dark chocolate is an antioxidant-rich superfood. It can improve your mood, reduce your risk of heart disease and may even help prevent cancer.
Dark chocolate may even make you smarter. One study found that eating dark chocolate every day can increase blood flow to your brain and help with cognitive thinking as you age. And we like any study that encourages us to eat more chocolate!
The best news of all, though, is that dark chocolate can help you lose weight, as long as you only eat 1-2 ounces, or 6-8 grams, each day.
So I can eat half a bar of dark chocolate every day?
We think you should talk that one over with your family doctor first. But according to everything we can find, it is perfectly healthy to eat raw cacao nibs, 1-2 ounces of an organic dark chocolate, or even half a dark chocolate candy bar you’d find at a gas station every day.
As always, we recommend you floss after and rinse with mouthwash – just to keep your smile free of leftover sugars that can stick to your teeth.
Is dark chocolate better than fluoride?
New studies show that dark chocolate is effective at fighting cavities, plaque and tooth decay.
Dark chocolate is a good source of polyphenols, natural chemicals that can limit oral bacteria. They are also able to neutralize microorganisms that cause bad breath and prevent some bacteria from turning sugar and starches into acid, which love to wreck havoc on your teeth.
Antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to fight periodontal disease. And research suggests it might be better at fighting tooth decay than fluoride. There’s also a compound found in chocolate called CBH that could be used in mouthwashes and toothpaste someday.
Does that mean I can brush my teeth with chocolate?
Please don’t.
Is milk chocolate good for my teeth?
Short answer: No.
If you’re used to eating milk chocolate or other artificial chocolates, it’s time to put your foot down and shout, “It’s dark or nothing!” Because in reality, it’s cacao that has so many benefits, and dark chocolate is 70% cacao.
Milk chocolate contains milk and extra sugar to add sweetness and lower the cost of production. So some bars of milk chocolate contain as little as only 10% cacao.
So let’s stick to the real thing. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to find a bar of chocolate with around 70% cacao. And enjoy your new nightly tradition. And why not join us as we say it just one more time…
