Before you grab an extra chocolate bar thinking it’s a heart-healthy choice, you may want to wait a moment. While some studies suggest that chocolate can offer protection for the heart, there’s more to the story.
To get the whole picture, we asked Matthew Miller, MD, a cardiovascular medicine specialist with the Heart & Vascular Institute at Hartford Hospital, to explain the details – and the fine print.
The health benefits of chocolate come from the flavanols.
Flavanols are naturally occurring compounds in cacao beans, legumes, nuts and vegetables.
“Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is rich in a specific flavonoid called epicatechin,” says Dr. Miller. “Research on isolated flavonoids has shown improvements in blood pressure, inflammation and blood clotting.”
These factors can all play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease, particularly coronary artery disease.
> Related: Nutrition Smack Down: Which Chocolate Is the Healthiest?
The darker the chocolate, the better.
In the great chocolate debate—milk chocolate vs. dark chocolate—there’s a clear winner, at least for health benefits.
“The darkness of chocolate depends on the proportions of cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar,” explains Dr. Miller. “Cocoa, made from roasted cacao beans, gives chocolate its bitterness but is also the source of its potential health benefits.”
Here’s how different types of chocolate stack up:
- Dark chocolate: The healthiest option, containing 40-85% cocoa solids.
- Milk chocolate: Popular in the U.S., with about 10% cocoa solids.
- White chocolate: Creamy and sweet, this contains no cocoa solids and lacks the health benefits of dark and milk chocolate.
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So how much chocolate do you need for heart health benefits?
The answer is probably too much, according to Dr. Miller.
Studies suggest you can gain health benefits from flavanols at around 500-600 mg per day.
“The largest study on chocolate’s health benefits, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2017, had participants consume 43 grams of dark chocolate daily—less than 300 mg of flavonoids,” Dr. Miller explains.
The results?
“The study found that dark chocolate alone didn’t significantly improve cardiac risk factors. However, when combined with a diet rich in almonds, it did lead to a notable reduction in bad cholesterol,” Dr. Miller says.
The data remains mixed, leaving some uncertainty.
“There are healthy compounds in chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, but we haven’t found consistent evidence of heart health benefits from a chocolate-rich diet,” Dr. Miller adds. “This may be due to the inconsistent levels of flavanols in commercially available dark chocolate.”
3 tips to get your chocolate fix – in a healthy way.
If you’re eager to include chocolate in your diet, there’s a balanced approach you can take.
Dr. Miller offers these simple tips:
- Choose dark chocolate: While it might be a bit bitter, dark chocolate contains less sugar and more heart-healthy flavanols.
- Look for nuts: Almonds and other nuts enhance flavor, reduce the bitterness of dark chocolate and may help reduce bad cholesterol.
- Practice portion control: Overeating chocolate can add extra sugar and cause weight gain, which can cancel its health benefits.
And remember, balance is everything.
Most foods are fine in moderation, but it’s easy to overdo it.
“Outside of smoking, poorly controlled diabetes and obesity are two of the biggest modifiable risk factors for developing heart disease,” cautions Dr. Miller.
It’s important to keep indulgences in check.
“Dark chocolate may offer slight health benefits when enjoyed in moderation,” Dr. Miller adds. “But don’t start eating multiple candy bars each day thinking it’s a healthy choice for your heart.”
