Exact amount of chocolate to eat for a ‘healthier heart’

People might be missing out on some health benefits by avoiding a specific amount of chocolate. However, experts have stressed that moderation is important to avoid this ‘health hack’ from adding to your troubles with obesity and other problems.

Dell Stanford, a registered dietitian with 15 years of experience, advised the British Heart Foundation that dark chocolate is « often seen as a healthier choice » than other types, such as milk or white chocolate, due to its higher cocoa content. This is what unlocks certain health benefits, but only when eaten in the right amount.

Where most people indulge in a whole bar from the supermarket or polish off a rich, chocolatey dessert, being more mindful of what you consume could help lower the risk of heart and circulatory diseases and bring down high blood pressure.

The higher cocoa content in dark chocolate increases the amount of flavanols, a type of chemical that naturally occurs in plants. These flavanols are what give darker bars their distinctive bitter taste that other types lack.

Dell added: « Flavanols give dark chocolate its slightly bitter taste, and its potential health benefits, such as helping to lower blood pressure and making blood vessels more flexible. » However, balance is crucial to avoid the downsides of overeating chocolate.

Writing for the British Heart Foundation’s website, Dell said that a 2019 overview of observational studies found a link between chocolate consumption and a reduced risk of heart and circulatory diseases, specifically when looking for the ideal amount of chocolate.

It claimed that eating around 45g of chocolate per week (about two to four small squares) was linked to the biggest (and healthiest) reduction in risk. Eating more chocolate than this was potentially linked to bad health effects from the side effects of too much sugar.

The topic was also discussed recently on Greg Foot’s Radio 4 podcast, after a listener claimed she eats a 90% cocoa bar of dark chocolate on occasion, having heard of its health benefits. He was told that flavanols are thought to help lower the risk of heart disease by improving blood flow around the body with « more flexible » blood vessels.

The expert warned that the true benefits come from minimally processed, high-cocoa chocolate, not typical sugary chocolate bars that most people enjoy as a treat. He said: « You can [get enough flavanols from chocolate to make a difference] depending on the type you eat. But, you’d have to eat about four times the daily energy allowance for an adult. You would eat about 10,000kcal a day. »

Is dark chocolate suitable for everyone to eat?

Dark chocolate is not suitable for everyone, despite having some reported health benefits. If eaten in excess, the high amount of calories, fat, and sugar can outweigh any potential benefits.

The fat in dark chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which is 50 to 60 per cent saturated fat. Dark chocolate usually contains more saturated fat than milk chocolate and eating too much of this can raise ‘bad’ non-HDL cholesterol levels.

Some people may have an allergy to ingredients in dark chocolate bars, such as milk, soy, nuts or gluten. Although rare, BBC Food claims that some people might have reactions due to the cacao or cocoa.

Dark chocolate contains caffeine, which must be accounted for within the daily limit of 400mg for a healthy adult. This is especially important for pregnant women, who have a reduced limit per day of around 200mg.