In addition to having less sugar than other types of chocolate, dark chocolate also contains antioxidants and minerals.
What is dark chocolate ?
Dark chocolate is made from cocoa beans like other types of chocolate, but it has a higher percentage of cocoa powder. Most dark chocolates on the market have the สมัครสมาชิก UFABET วันนี้ รับเครดิตฟรีทุกวัน following percentages of cocoa powder:
- Cocoa powder 50%: The tea tastes sweet after eating.
- Cocoa powder 70%: It has a slightly bitter taste. Those who drink 100% black coffee with this amount of cocoa can drink it.
- Cocoa powder 80%: Bitter taste, popularly used for making desserts, food, or adding to drinks.
- Cocoa powder 90%: Very bitter taste and sour aftertaste.
In addition to having less sugar than other types of chocolate, dark chocolate also contains antioxidants and minerals such as flavonoids, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, etc.
Nutrients in dark chocolate
Dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa powder, 30 grams, will provide approximately the following nutrients:
- Energy 180 calories
- Fat 12.78 grams
- Protein 2.34 grams
- Carbohydrates 13.8 grams
- Dietary fiber 3.3 grams
- Sugar 7.2 grams
- Caffeine 0.02 mg
- Water 0.42 grams
- Various minerals and vitamins
Although dark chocolate contains some caffeine and theobromine, the amounts are so small that they won’t cause insomnia or palpitations.
Benefits of Dark Chocolate
- It has high antioxidant content, helps reduce inflammation, and reduces the incidence of various diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Many studies have found that polyphenols help strengthen blood vessels, helping to increase HDL cholesterol, which helps reduce inflammation and blood clot formation.
- Lowers blood pressure Eating dark chocolate 2-3 times a week can lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, prevent blood clots and prevent hardening of the arteries.
- It helps reduce the risk of heart disease because dark chocolate is rich in minerals and vitamins that are important to the body. It helps nourish the blood, improves blood circulation, and prevents diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
- It helps increase the level of good cholesterol HDL and reduce bad cholesterol LDL in the body. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it is stated that cocoa and dark chocolate contain flavonoids and polyphenols in dark chocolate that can help reduce the level of bad cholesterol or LDL and increase good cholesterol such as HDL in the blood.
- Improve brain function: Flavonoids in dark chocolate help dilate blood vessels, allowing oxygen and blood to be transported to the brain, making us remember things better.
- Helps reduce stress. A study found that people who ate 40 grams of dark chocolate every day for 2 weeks had lower levels of stress hormones compared to the first day they started eating.
Although dark chocolate is beneficial to the body, if eaten in excessive amounts, it will contain a high amount of sugar and saturated fat, which has a negative effect on the body. Therefore, it should be eaten in an appropriate amount, which is 20-30 grams or 1 small piece per day , and should choose chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa as it will contain less sugar and is high in flavonoids.