Live Long, Eat Chocolate!

The next time someone gives you a box of Godiva truffles, you no longer need to feel guilty about eating it and not sharing. (Not that true chocoholics have ever seriously grappled with this moral dilemma anyway…) Recent research is shedding astonishing new light on the dark side of chocolate and finally revealing something that aficionados of this sweet snack have secretly suspected all along: it’s really not that bad for you. In fact, it could even contribute to a longer life!

A Short History Lesson

Ancient Mayans and Aztecs called chocolate the Food of the Gods, an apt description which has managed to stick ever since cacao was first cultivated over 1,000 years ago. So strong was Montezuma’s belief in its powers as an aphrodisiac (aka phenylethylamine), he drank an entire goblet of it in beverage form every night before visiting his harem.

Following cacao’s introduction to Europe by Cortes in the 16th century, it eventually made its way to England and North America, courtesy of the Dutch. The U.S., which invented the first candy bar in 1831, now leads the way in chocolate’s import and production. It is also second in annual consumption following Switzerland, its biggest fans in both countries being teenagers and women between the ages of 40 and 49.

Guilt by Association

Chocolate has long been blamed for a host of health problems ranging from asthma to zits. While a couple of Hershey bars can certainly exacerbate conditions for individuals who are already suffering from these maladies, researchers have now determined that chocolate in and of itself is not the root of all evil. Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas even suggest that an occasional indulgence in chocolate is compatible with a well balanced diet. Specifically, they have discovered that the primary saturated fat contained in cocoa butter—stearic acid—has a neutral, as opposed to negative, effect on blood cholesterol levels.

Researchers from Holland’s National Institute of Public Health and Environment in Bilthoven, The Netherlands, go a step further in citing that the catechins contained in dark chocolate, nearly 4 times as much as a cup of tea, are believed to protect the body against heart conditions and cancer. Experiments reveal that the healing powers of catechins can extend to lowering blood pressure levels, keeping arteries open, and lowering the risk of stroke by reducing the formation of carcinogens and increasing the body’s natural defenses.

Meanwhile, chemists in the Viticulture and Enology Division at the University of California in Davis have been making comparisons between cocoa beans and wine and discovering something these two have in common: both contain compounds called polyphenols, which are chemical substances that have antioxidant properties applicable to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to tests by UCD chemist Andrew Waterhouse, “cocoa powder was a strong antioxidant to fight LDL oxidation. LDL is the bad type of cholesterol.

When it comes to our diets, the research can help explain what these chemicals are and how much of them are in wine tea, fruit or chocolate, and how much of it we should be eating or drinking.” Waterhouse adds in postscript, “If you already eat chocolate, don’t eat any more, but you don’t have to worry about it as much as you used to.”

Acne, Cavities and Extra Pounds

Remember when your mother used to tell you not to eat chocolate because (1) your face would break out and/or (2) your teeth would rot? You were too young at the time to recognize this naysaying for what it really was: a clever device for Mom to get more of your Halloween and Easter chocolate for herself.

Well, not only is there no dermatological correlation between chocolate consumption and Prom Night pimples, but a recent Scottish study of 3,000 pre-teens revealed that the average diet is more dental plaque-promoting than one which includes chocolate milk and chocolate chip cookies. Ounce for ounce, chocolate even contains a significant fraction of the RDA for calcium, riboflavin, iron and—if it’s coupled with nuts—protein.

Unfortunately, chocolate’s negative influence on our lives is cruelly reflected on the bathroom scale. Although scientists at Nestle’s Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland are working to develop a new recipe which would replace a percentage of the sugar content with calcium carbonate (chalk), it probably won’t happen soon enough for us to hop off that treadmill or put away our workout clothes. As with anything that tastes and smells delicious but has weighty side-effects, moderation is always the watchword.

Snack-ily Ever After

Chocolate may have more of a psychological value than medicinal,” states clinical dietitian Lorraine Giangrandi from John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The fact that a person feels happier after eating a candy bar can subliminally contribute to his/her overall state of health and, accordingly, influence longevity. So says a Harvard University study published in the British Medical Journal, which divulged that men in the test group who ate up to 3 candy bars a month had a 36 percent lower risk of death than non-candy eaters.

While this news is certainly not a day-pass to the Chocolate Hall of Gluttony, it should make us all a little less repentant about that stash of Hershey kisses in the bottom desk drawer.