Chocolate is one of the most common sweets in modern diets. Believe it or not, it is a food that has some good characteristics. However, not all chocolate is healthy. Therefore, it’s important to know which is the healthiest chocolate.
Have you noticed that there are many different kinds of chocolate on the market? Which is the best option?
In this article, we’ll tell you what to consider when buying this food.
Unsweetened chocolate
When choosing a type of chocolate, it’s important to take into account the effects of sugar on the body. This nutrient can increase your risk of obesity. Also, sugar harms many markers associated with metabolic health. In fact, this article in the journal Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences explains this.
However, it’s not a good option to resort to chocolates that add artificial sweeteners instead of real sugar. This type of substance is harmful to the intestinal microbiota. Also, it’s linked to an increased risk of developing insulin resistance.
Therefore, the best strategy is to choose chocolates that have a higher percentage of cocoa. In fact, you’ll want to choose a product that has at least 75% cocoa.
Cocoa and its antioxidant capacity
Cocoa is a food that is characterized by its lipid and phytonutrient content. The latter has a high antioxidant capacity, according to a study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. In fact, getting enough of this nutrient is essential to prevent cellular aging. Also, it helps reduce the risk of premature death, as well as the chances of developing diseases in the medium and long term.
Bitter cocoa is one of the foods with the highest antioxidant capacity that you can find in nature. Along with coffee and berries, it’s a great addition to any varied and balanced diet plan.
However, don’t confuse cocoa with chocolate. In fact, the latter product usually contains lots of sugar. Therefore, the healthiest chocolate usually contains the least amount of carbohydrates.
White chocolate is not the healthiest chocolate
Among the different types of chocolate, some don’t have much cocoa, which we shouldn’t include in this group. For example, one of these is white chocolate, which is mainly made up of butter and sugar.
It’s not a very nutritional food, and eating white chocolate regularly isn’t good for our bodies. Therefore, you should avoid eating it as much as possible.
Another example is chocolate and nut creams. These are characterized by their content of industrial oils and refined sugar. They produce foods that taste good but aren’t very healthy. However, you can find them in most pantries, and kids have pretty easy access to them, which is something we should all keep an eye on.
You can include healthy chocolate in your diet
Chocolate is a food that is a part of a varied and healthy diet. However, not all chocolate is healthy, and it doesn’t always have the same nutritional properties. It’s important to choose ones that have a high percentage of cocoa and low levels of sugar.
Remember, artificial sweeteners are not a healthy alternative to high-glycemic carbohydrates. These substances usually cause a series of changes in the microbiota that can affect your metabolic health. Also, keep in mind that not all chocolate products contain cocoa. After all, this last substance is the one that contains all the antioxidants, which is what has health benefits.
Once you have chosen a good type of chocolate, you can introduce it into your diet in moderation. It’s good for snacks, as it combines well with certain types of fruit and dairy. Also, it’s great for making desserts, although we must highlight the need for have-quality ingredients.
No matter what, it’s important to not resort to large amounts of flour and sugar.
