The benefits of Dark Chocolate are well documented. Firstly what is dark chocolate? Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate that contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter. This means it does not contain dairy milk or butter which is found in milk chocolate.

Chocolate for the past decade has always been associated with sugar, fats, weight gain and diabetes. But this is not entirely true. Chocolate has some great health benefits as well. Chocolate’s antioxidant properties potentially may have a range of health benefits in the human body. Among the most beneficial is a cocoa flavanol called epicatechin, mostly present in dark chocolates. The higher the cocoa content, the more cocoa flavanol, the more benefits there are. Dark chocolate also contains less fat and sugar compared to milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Researchers have found that dark chocolate contains plant sterols (PS) and cocoa flavanols (CF). Which when consumed with a low-fat diet and moderate exercise may support cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and improving blood pressure. These beneficial flavonoids in dark chocolate react with the artery lining and help relax them, which helps in lowering oxidising LDL cholesterol. This can reduce the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease.