One bite of dark chocolate a day is not only good for your heart, it can also improve brain function, reduce stress, and lower the risk of diabetes.
A piece of dark chocolate between pralines wrapped in gold foil
For an antioxidant boost, crack a piece of dark chocolate.
Marty Suns / Stony
If you dream of eating chocolate every day, now you have a reason - or eight.
Scientific studies show that dark chocolate — sorry, milk and white chocolate don't count — is rich in antioxidants and packed with nutrients, making this bittersweet treat a popular superfood.
Dark chocolate contains phytonutrients called flavonoids, plant chemicals that act as antioxidants and may play a role in cancer prevention and heart health, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science. The cacao plant from which chocolate is extracted also contains a compound called theobromine, which, according to Toby Amid or, RD, cookbook author and nutritionist for the Food Network, can help reduce inflammation and potentially lower blood pressure.
Cocoa is packed with lots of antioxidants — actually more than green tea or red wine, he says. The darker you are, the more antioxidants you get, but there has to be a balance between eating delicious dark chocolate and receiving the health benefits.
It's best to choose sticks that contain 70 percent cocoa or higher, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Bars with a lower percentage of cocoa contain more added sugar and unhealthy fats. And while high-quality dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate, it's still chocolate, meaning it's high in calories and saturated fat. To avoid weight gain, Amid or recommends eating no more than 1 ounce (ounce) of dark chocolate per day.
Dark chocolate can prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of stroke
One of the biggest benefits that researchers have shown is the role dark chocolate plays in improving heart health. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in July 2020 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that eating chocolate once a week was associated with an 8 percent lower risk of clogged arteries. Another large study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May 2021, analyzed data from more than 188,000 veterans and concluded that regular consumption of about 1 ounce of chocolate was associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.
Studies show that the flavonoids in dark chocolate help maintain a healthy heart. According to a March 2017 review published in the American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, this chemical helps produce nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Since many of these studies are observational, the results may be biased by people who do not consider chocolate. Research is also limited because it cannot directly determine cause and effect.
However, a meta-analysis published in Nutrients in July 2017 acknowledged this limitation as wrong, while still finding that chocolate was most likely beneficial in reducing the risk of heart health, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
RELATED: The best and worst foods for people with high cholesterol.
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