WASHINGTON — Hearts and chocolates are the symbols of Valentine’s Day. And whether you indulge in chocolates frequently or only on special occasions, Lean Plate Club™ blogger Sally Squires says you are actually doing a good thing.
That’s probably a relief for the millions of people who will buy, give and eat chocolate on Tuesday. An estimated 58 million pounds of chocolate is typically sold the week of Valentine’s Day. And you may be surprised to learn that this guilty pleasure also offers health benefits.
“An ounce of dark chocolate has about 155 calories … but it also has some healthy fat and antioxidants,” Squires said. “Those antioxidants help to decrease inflammation and can also aid in the reduction of blood pressure.”
She said there is also increasing evidence from experimental and clinical studies that using cocoa-derived products and chocolate could also have benefits in heart and vascular protection. In addition, there are studies that indicate that more frequent chocolate consumption may be linked to brain benefits such as visual-spatial memory and organization, working memory, scanning, and tracking and abstract reasoning.
So how much chocolate can you have and how often? Squires said to remember an important word — moderation.
“Chocolate comes in so many portion sizes, you don’t have to eat an entire chocolate bar to sustain some of these healthy benefits and satisfy your chocolate cravings,” she said. “We have to remember chocolate is not a low-calorie food, but it’s a great treat. So what else are we eating? Are we getting enough fruits and vegetables? Are you eating whole grains and getting enough sleep and exercise?”
Most of the health benefits from eating chocolate typically are associated with dark chocolate. And Squires noted it is not as sweet. So you are less likely to eat as much of it.
