Can Chocolate Be Good for You?

  There are a many different kinds of chocolate, but can any of them really be called a healthy choice? First, let’s look at the types of chocolate available.    

• Milk chocolate contains exactly what you think it would. Milk! The milk can be liquid, powder, or condensed.  All milk chocolate sold in the US is required to have at least a 10% concentration of chocolate liquor.
• White chocolate is not technically a chocolate. It is primarily made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids.
• Dark chocolate contains either no milk or very little milk. It contains a high percentage of cocoa solids. The type of dark chocolate we buy to eat typically contains around 30% cocoa solids. You can buy dark chocolate bars with a much higher percentage of cocoa solids though. Dark chocolate bars intended for baking can contain as much as 99% cocoa solids.
• There are also several different types of sweetness from unsweetened to semisweet. These contain varying levels of sugar.

A study from last year suggests that choosing dark chocolate over white chocolate might help lower your risk of heart disease. The study by associate professor of exercise and nutritional sciences, Mee Young Hong, PhD, found that people who regularly ate dark chocolate had lower blood glucose levels, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. So if you’re going to choose a treat, a bit of dark chocolate wouldn’t be a terrible choice. However, all chocolate is high in calories. Despite any health benefits, eat chocolate sparingly. Further reading: WebMD Healthfinder.com Wikipedia – Types of Chocolate