If you’re like us, you’re probably prone to craving something sweet after dinner (or, let’s be honest, every meal). Unfortunately, though, many of the most popular dessert options out there are loaded with sugar, which we all know can lead to a range of health risks, from inflammation to weight gain and more. However, there is one type of dessert that experts say is actually good for you, especially as far as your heart and brain health go: dark chocolate. Yum!
To learn more about all the benefits of indulging in a bit of dark chocolate every now and then, we spoke to experts Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, Trista Best, dietitian for Balance One Supplements, and Dr. Daniel Boyer, MD from Farr Institute. Find all of their expert insight on this tasty treat below!
Dark chocolate for heart health
When it comes to heart-healthy desserts, dark chocolate is definitely somewhere at the top of the list. This is largely thanks to its antioxidant properties; Dr. Boyer explains that dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids, which can do wonders for your overall health, especially in the cardiovascular department.
"Among the flavonoids found in dark chocolate, epicatechin and catechin are thought to be particularly beneficial," Dr. Boyer says, noting that these "help boost your mood and lower your blood pressure."
According to Dr. Boyer, eating a bit of dark chocolate for dessert can help improve blood flow, lower your risk of blood clotting, and even "help prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol." Incredible!
Richards concurs, pointing out that these antioxidants "work to prevent and treat the cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body as a result of toxins and stress," ultimately lowering your risk of heart disease and other health issues, including certain types of cancer. All in such a delicious package!
Dark chocolate for brain health and mood
The antioxidants and heart-healthy benefits aren't the only reasons that dark chocolate can be so great for your health. According to Best, the cocoa content in this sweet treat also offers up nutritional value, including a high amount of magnesium, which can do wonders for your brain health (and even help you sleep!).
"Magnesium is vital to life as it is contained in every cell of the body and important for carrying out many bodily functions," she explains. In fact, this nutrient can improve your mood, and it even "acts as a vasodilator to dilate the vessels which increases blood flow to the brain." Who knew?!
Choosing chocolate with a high cocoa content (like dark chocolate!) is the best way to reap all of the benefits of magnesium. "Dark chocolate, in particular, is highest in cocoa with the most being 90% cocoa, opposed to milk chocolate which is typically only 10% cacao," Best says.
The bottom line
Of course, it's important to keep in mind that maintaining optimal brain and heart health will require a range of healthy habits. As much as we wish it was, dark chocolate is unfortunately not a miracle worker. However, if you're looking for a healthy dessert that you can feel good about eating, it's certainly a relatively guilt-free choice that can offer up a good amount of benefits for your whole body—especially when compared to high-fat, sugar loaded options. So, enjoy that decadent square of dark chocolate after dinner! We know we will.
