People all over the globe have a love affair with this feel good food. And it’s not just the warm, fuzzy childhood memories conjured up by chocolate that boost your mood. Chocolate is thought to actually promote the release of endorphins, natural chemicals, in the brain.
As chocolate is high in fat and kilojoules, big doses can hamper your weight loss goals, but that doesn’t mean that you should skip out this Easter or when a craving calls. New research shows that chocolate can be kind to your heart and bones and, if you choose wisely, a regular part of a healthy eating plan.
Milk the goodness
It’s a myth that chocolate contains no nutritional value. In fact real chocolate made from cocoa (as opposed to compound chocolate made from vegetable oils) contains a significant source of certain vitamins and minerals. A 50 gram block of milk chocolate provides approximately 5% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for zinc, 5% of the iron RDI and 15% of the calcium RDI. So the next time someone questions your chocy treat, just let them know that you’re “topping up your daily calcium levels”!
Choc full of antioxidants
Cocoa extract used to make chocolate contains potent antioxidants called flavonoids. The more cocoa extract used in manufacture, the more antioxidants. So if you’re looking for a chocolate you’re body cells will love, go for the darkest on offer.
Hearty love affair
Recent scientific studies have cleared up any confusion about chocolate’s cholesterol raising potential. Chocolate does contain saturated fat, the type commonly found to raise blood cholesterol levels. However, chocolate contains a unique saturated fatty acid known as stearic acid that does not promote the same cholesterol raising effect as other saturated fats.
Top five under 500 kilojoules
Rather than deprive yourself of chocolate, keep some portion controlled treats at hand. It’s often difficult to restrain and only have one row from a block of chocolate, so it’s better to buy individually packaged items and stick to just one at a time. Top choices under 500 kilojoules include: Mars Lite Fun Size (264kJ), Cadbury Freddo Frog (265kJ), Bounty Fun Size (385kJ), Caramello Koala (410kJ) and Kit Kat 2 Wafers (435kJ).
