Chocolate is a sweet tooth's favorite confection made from cocoa butter. It is eaten neat or used to prepare various desserts. When consumed excessively, chocolate can lead to health problems, and in small quantities, it can even be beneficial.
Which chocolate is healthier
There are three main types of chocolate: milk, dark, and bitter. First of all, they differ in the amount of cocoa. In milk chocolate, for example, the amount of cocoa can vary from 25 to 50%, in dark chocolate it can be up to 70%, and in bitter chocolate - up to 90%. In addition, milk powder and powdered sugar are always added to milk chocolate, and this makes it a forbidden product for those who suffer from diabetes or are struggling with obesity.
Unlike milk chocolate, dark chocolate is less exposed to various treatments, which means it retains many useful substances contained in cocoa. Thanks to flavonoids, dark chocolate, for example, has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, and also helps to remove harmful toxins from the body.
Milk chocolate also contains useful substances, but their amount is several times lower.
The high cocoa content in dark chocolate helps increase blood pressure and soothes the nervous system. This product is generally classified as an antidepressant because it helps to lower blood levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. And also real dark chocolate helps to accelerate metabolism and, as a result, to lose weight.
Natural dark chocolate in limited quantities can be consumed even by diabetics (but only with the permission of a doctor), as it helps to increase insulin sensitivity.
The norm of chocolate per day
The daily amount of chocolate for each person is individual. For those who suffer from allergies, skin diseases and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to completely abandon the consumption of such a product, since even in small quantities it can provoke the development of these diseases.
Chocolate should not be given to young children, especially those under the age of three. From the age of three, it is allowed to give no more than 20 grams per week, and even then only natural dark chocolate. Better yet, exclude this product from the child's menu altogether.
For healthy adults, nutritionists recommend eating no more than 50 g of this product per day - this is about ¼ of a standard-sized chocolate bar. But in such quantities, only dark chocolate will be beneficial to health; it is better to cut the amount of milk chocolate by half.
It should be borne in mind that chocolate is a fairly high-calorie product, so the recommended rate is unlikely to suit those who are struggling with excess weight. So, the calorie content of 100 g of a dairy delicacy is approximately 550 kcal, and of a black one - 540 kcal. Any addition in the form of nuts or jam will make the chocolate even more nutritious.
