Chocolate: Health food or hell no?
I just can't do it. I can't eat chocolate. If I do, the floodgates will open, and I won't be able to stop. My husband, who is accompanying me on my latest health kick, is able to have just one bite and be happy. In fact, his doctor just recently congratulated him on his recent weight loss and then told him as he headed out the door, "Don't forget to eat some chocolate now and then." He was thrilled.
What, an invitation to eat chocolate? Yes, indeed. And this doctor isn't the only one touting the merits of chocolate. Now we're talking mostly dark chocolate here -- it happens to be my hubby's favorite -- and the talk goes something like this: Eating a small, 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you.
Clinical trials have shown dark chocolate and its healthy flavonoids improve blood vessel functioning. Better blood flow is good for your heart. Thus, chocolate is good for you. And guess what? Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other food, including green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries. It's plant-derived after all, just like fruits and veggies. Here's the catch, though -- while more is better with fruits and vegetables, only a small amount of chocolate is healthy. Which is why I can't indulge. A 1.6-ounce bar just wouldn't be enough.
What, an invitation to eat chocolate? Yes, indeed. And this doctor isn't the only one touting the merits of chocolate. Now we're talking mostly dark chocolate here -- it happens to be my hubby's favorite -- and the talk goes something like this: Eating a small, 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you.
Clinical trials have shown dark chocolate and its healthy flavonoids improve blood vessel functioning. Better blood flow is good for your heart. Thus, chocolate is good for you. And guess what? Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other food, including green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries. It's plant-derived after all, just like fruits and veggies. Here's the catch, though -- while more is better with fruits and vegetables, only a small amount of chocolate is healthy. Which is why I can't indulge. A 1.6-ounce bar just wouldn't be enough.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-25-2007 @ 9:24AM
Meg Wolff said...
It's great that you know your limits! Neal Barnard, MD (again, Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine) has a great book about this topic called, Breaking the Food Seduction. The average person is not like your husband (or mine, he's the same way!). And the children...they are marketed to big time (chocolate, chocolate everywhere...most couldn't give it up if they wanted to)...and it's showing up now as epidemic proportions of diabetes and obesity. Please pass me an apple. Thanks for the great post!
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9-25-2007 @ 9:29AM
Jacki said...
Meg,
Thank YOU for your great comments!
Jacki
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10-01-2007 @ 6:00PM
J.Dillard said...
I'm not going to live forever,no matter WHAT I eat.I love food,and intend to enjoy it,and the time I have left,to the fullest.If I lose some of that time,that's life.I could be killed in a car wreck very easily,also.But, I applaud everyone elses approuch to food,too.
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11-17-2007 @ 3:55PM
Stuart said...
As a great appreciator of chocolate, my first reaction to chocolate being hailed as a healthy part of eating, with its lecithin, bioflavinoids, antioxidant qualities, etc., was one of elation- until I realized that the good news about chocolate was accompanied by a serious down-side, the high amount of saturated fat contained in chocolate, which has a negative impact on cholesterol levels, at least for me. When I cut out the chocolate, as well as the red meat, chicken skin, and other culprits, I was able to lower my triglicerides over 100%. To satisfy my chocolate cravings, I now use chocolate syrup (all the chocolate flavor with none of the saturated fat) and other chocolate flavored products. Try dipping strawberries in chocolate syrup, and you won't miss Godiva.
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