Love is in the air.  With Valentine’s Day just a few days ago, many of us are still surrounded with blooming roses, stuffed teddy bears and all that chocolate. Before you think all that chocolate goodness will derail your healthy diet, read on. 
 
Cacao is the unprocessed cocoa bean which is used to make chocolate.  Early cultures viewed cacao as a valuable and it had a variety of uses ranging from medicine to currency.  To make chocolate the cocoa bean is processed into a solid or liquid and then mixed with cocoa butter, sugar and milk. The percentages of these ingredients vary depending upon which type of chocolate is being made either dark, milk or white chocolate.  While most commonly thought of as a junk food, chocolate is now being research for its health benefits.
 
Not all chocolate is created equal.  The type of chocolate thought to provide the most health benefits is dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate is synonymous with semisweet or bittersweet chocolate.  Dark chocolate can be eaten or used in cooking.  The US Food and Drug Administration requires chocolate to contain at least 35% cocoa solids to be considered dark chocolate; however percentages as high as 90% are not uncommon.  The higher the percentage of cocoa the less sweet the chocolate is, but the greater the health benefits. 
 
Cocoa contains compounds called flavonoids.  Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant properties.  Antioxidants have been researched for their disease prevention capabilities for diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.  Since dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa, dark chocolate will also have a higher percentage of flavonoids.  The flavonoids found in dark chocolate are also being researched for their ability to reduce blood pressure, help prevent cholesterol from clogging arteries and reduce the risk for blood clots. 
 
While chocolate may be beneficial to your health, moderation is still the key.  There are no published recommendations for the amount of dark chocolate to consume however most health practitioners agree that ½-1 oz per day is adequate to gain the health benefits without adding too many calories.  So now not only did your sweetie give you his heart, he’s helping save it too!