To choose the right chocolate for Easter you need to take a series of factors into consideration. Find out how not to make mistakes
It’s that time of year when chocolate lovers go crazy. This is because everywhere there are countless options for celebrating Easter, but not all of them are good for your health. Indeed, Is there such a thing as healthy chocolate? Experts say yes.
First of all, it is important to underline that excessive and prolonged consumption of chocolate can cause a series of health problems.
However, knowing the different types of flavors and controlling the quantity ingested guarantees more balance in the diet, also promoting well-being, since food also has health benefits.
Benefits of chocolate for heart health
Chocolate has anti-inflammatory effects, reduces stress, reduces pain and gives a great feeling of well-being, as well as reducing appetite and improving metabolism. But apart from all these benefits, food is also very beneficial for heart health.
According to the cardiologist of the São Francisco de Mogi Guaçu Hospital, Dr. Matheus Fileti Arruda, the consumption of chocolate, especially darkmay help reduce some risk factors for heart disease.
This is because they are rich in flavonoids, composed of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory properties, which contribute to the health of blood vessels by increasing the elasticity of the arteries and reducing blood pressure.
“Flavonoids may help improve cholesterol levels by increasing HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) and potentially reducing LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”), adds the cardiologist.
Consume carefully
However, the doctor emphasizes that consumption should be moderate and concentrated on chocolates higher concentration of cocoa (from 70%). According to him, studies suggest that small amounts of dark chocolate, 30 to 60 grams, a few times a week, can be beneficial to your health. “It is important that chocolate consumption is placed in the context of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle,” warns Matheus.
Furthermore, since it is a stimulating food, patients suffering from certain types of arrhythmias, who suffer from insomnia and anxiety, should limit – or even avoid – the consumption of chocolate.
“Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, two stimulants that can temporarily increase heart rate. However, this effect is generally mild and more common in people sensitive to these substances. For the most part, the moderate consumption of chocolate should not cause a significant increase in heart rate,” explains Dr. Matheus Fileti.
The doctor also clarifies that the composition of white chocolate contains different substances than dark chocolate. That is, it does not contain cocoa mass, only cocoa butter, it is rich in sugars and fats like milk chocolate.
“Therefore, white chocolates do not offer the same cardiovascular benefits associated with the flavonoids present in dark chocolate. Therefore, they should be consumed more sparingly,” he says.
How to choose the healthiest chocolate?
We already know that white chocolate isn’t the best choice for health, but does dark chocolate offer any benefits? In fact, you need to take some factors into consideration.
“To have this food in our daily lives, we must know how to choose. Because for it to be healthy, quality matters, especially because it is from cocoa that all the value attributed to chocolate derives”, explains nutritionist Mariana Venturino.
Mariana has listed 3 essential factors to consider when choosing the right chocolate:
- The healthiest chocolate is the one it contains more cocoa. Therefore cocoa as the first ingredient is an important factor to look for on the label;
- The second important factor is to check if you have it Vegetable fat added, which is a bad and harmful fat and which already classifies chocolate as lower quality;
- After paying attention to these two, check out the sugar: the less, the better.
“Normally sugar is present in the second or third ingredient, and that’s fine. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a healthier option, because the cocoa content remains high and the food as a whole is nutritionally better than most part on the market. “, warn.
Furthermore, it is very common to use emulsifiers and flavourings. According to the nutritionist, the ideal is to look for the most natural options, with fewer ingredients and without these additives.
Different types of chocolate
The nutritionist also explains the different types of chocolate to consume. Watch:
- OR bitter chocolate contains the highest percentage of cocoa and also contains cocoa butter and some sugar. It is the healthiest type, as already described;
- OR chocolate milk it has a lower percentage of cocoa and also contains milk, cocoa butter and sugar (which is generally the first ingredient and, therefore, the one that is in greatest quantity in this type of chocolate);
- Already the White chocolate It is made with sugar, cocoa butter and milk.
For the professional, in terms of calories, the types are not very different. This is because what really changes is the nutritional value attributed.
“We already know that the one richest in cocoa has health benefits and that the others have ingredients that, in excess, can be harmful. Therefore, nothing stops us from enjoying all the flavors, even on an appointment that only happens once a week. year, which is Easter, what we need every day of the year common sense and moderation in consumption. And, of course, maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a fundamental principle, “she concludes.
Cases that deserve attention
The coordinator of the Nutrition course at the Faculdade Anhanguera, Camila Junqueira, emphasizes that it is important to know all the healthy options for eggs so as not to make the wrong choice, especially in the most delicate cases, such as patients with diabetes, children and the elderly.
«The term light, for example, indicates that the product has a reduced content of at least 25% of a certain ingredient. The diet version doesn’t contain a gram of sugar, but that doesn’t mean it’s less caloric. By removing sugar, the amount of fat is increased to give flavor to food, therefore it is only recommended for diabetics“, underlines Camila.
Furthermore, some types are more recommended for certain age groups. “The bitter version is a great option for adults with advanced age and the elderly, for example, since it contains cocoa flavonoids, which are bioactive substances derived from the seeds of the plant, which act directly in reducing blood pressure and pumping blood to the brain, improving the cognitive system of the human being. The ideal is to ingest 30 grams”, explains the teacher.
In case of children, the expert specifies that it is not advisable to let children under three years of age consume chocolate. “From this age onwards, daily consumption should not exceed the equivalent of a small tablet. The advice is to make substitutions such as exchanging the egg for a new toy, a book, a walk in that place where the child has always wanted to go, etc. These are some ideas that can be put into practice at that moment to eliminate the craving for sweets,” he points out.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
