You Asked, Experts Answered: Is Chocolate Good For You?

Ready for this? Chocolate is known the world over as “the food of the gods”. And though you may be thinking you know why, the truth is that this decadent treat has been transformed from a medicinal and nutritional powerhouse to a synthetic sugar-addicting treat. Most of the chocolate we now get in stores is full of artificial coloring, processed sugar, and dairy. Here’s the great news: we have access to organic, non-genetically modified, and fair-trade chocolate products, particularly cacao. And we know how to use it! 

Related: Is Chocolate Better than Sex? 6 Facts That Will Make You Say Si

As a naturopathic physician, my main goal is to help patients gain control of their health by making positive choices around nutritional intake and leading a holistic lifestyle. I’m a strong believer in and advocate of food and botanicals as medicine, and believe that it’s possible to preserve the essence of Latino culture while incorporating promoting optimal living. Translation: You don’t have to give up the foods that are integral to your daily life and celebrations to live healthily. That includes chocolate. [pagebreak]

My patients are always surprised when I encourage most of them to eat chocolate therapeutically. This means that a few times a month, they get to eat a particular kind of chocolate based on their specific needs. This therapy has helped many patients decrease mood and energy swings, food cravings, overindulgence, and binge eating while allowing them to experience what real chocolate should taste like.

This therapy, though, isn’t about snacking on any old candy bar. I prescribe high quality chocolate or a variety of raw cacao preparations in infusions, smoothies, or occasional small amounts of 70% or above, dark chocolate bars.

At home, you can do the same. The trick is checking labels. You will want to look for the highest percentage of cacao content in a bar as it’s better for your health due to its nutritional content. Be aware of ingredients like processed sugar, milk, artificial flavors, emulsifiers and soy lecithin, as they create energy crashes and inflammation in the body.

For example, a chocolate of 86% cacao may contain only 6 grams of sugar in the whole bar (4 ounces), compared to a regular milk chocolate bar (2.6 ounces) which has an average of 45 grams of sugar. High sugar and milk contents or other additives can be doing more harm than good to your body, including inducing a blood sugar spike. (Blood sugar spikes can be a risk factor in developing diabetes and they disrupt the body’s natural metabolism and hormonal rhythm.) [pagebreak]

Therefore, I recommend the consumption of organic, fair-trade chocolate with a high percentage of cacao and no genetically modified or processed ingredients. Having an occasional treat of a ‘high-quality’ chocolate as therapy may help you savor its characteristic flavor and health benefits.

For you nerds out there, theobroma cacao is the name of the tree which supplies the cacao seeds, typically roasted, ground as powder and sweetened to prepare chocolate. History shows that it has been used as both a stimulant and a means of promoting mental, physical, and digestive health. Recent studies show raw cacao powder aids good gut microbes (i.e. probiotics), promotes healthy digestion, and improves mood and immune response.

Cacao is also packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals (i.e. flavonoids) that protect against inflammation and oxidative damage in the body, as well as minerals and vitamins including calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, all of which assist blood sugar control and weight management.

Would you like to satisfy your chocolate craving while you boost your metabolism? Check out this easy, nutritious, and delicious smoothie. It has the perfect combination of fruit, healthy fats, fiber, and protein. [pagebreak]

Chocolate Therapy Smoothie 

• 1 ripe banana
• 3 dates
• 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk (can be substitute for nut milk)
• 1 tbs. of raw cacao
• 1 tsp. of cacao nibs
• 1 tsp. of chia seeds
• 1 tbs. of hemp seed powder
• 1/3 of cup of ice

Get the recipe.