Our Fav Dark Chocolate Finds For Your Valentine

It seems like the minute Christmas is over, that seasonal aisles in the grocery store switch to shades of pink, red, and white as the Valentine’s goodies begin to make their vibrant appearance.  With all the chocolate options available in excess, many ponder the question is there really a healthier type of chocolate?  If you’ve found yourself wondering the same thing, then you aren’t alone.  In fact, our dietitian says this is one of her most asked questions this time of year.

Which is why we’ve enlisted her help to better understand if chocolate plays a role in our health.  And spoiler, we think you’ll like what she says.

Is Dark Chocolate Really Healthier?

The short answer is yes and it’s all thanks to the flavonol-rich cocoa solids. 

Dark chocolate has the highest percentage of cocoa solids at 50-90% whereas milk chocolate contains somewhere between 10-50%.  The higher the cocoa solids, the lower the sugar content which is what makes dark chocolate more bitter.

Any white chocolate fans?  While it is delicious, unfortunately, this type contains no cocoa solids only cocoa butter, milk, and sugar so you won’t be getting any of those amazing flavonols.

What’s a Flavonol?

Glad you asked.  Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant.  

All types of antioxidants are important nutrients to incorporate regularly into your diet because they help protect your cells from free radical damage.  This further prevents oxidative stress, which may help keep your body’s inflammation levels lower. 

The specific type of flavonoids found in dark chocolate are called flavan-3-ols.  These can also be found in other foods too, like green tea, apples, red grapes, black grapes, blueberries, and strawberries.

Is Dark Chocolate Good for Your Heart Health?

It’s pretty ironic how chocolate is associated with valentines day, and research has shown that it may, in fact be good for your heart.

A 2015 randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study found that consuming 25 grams of dark chocolate for eight weeks improved triglyceride levels, decreased blood pressure, and decreased fasting blood sugar readings in hypertensive patients with diabetes.  It was concluded because of dark chocolate’s high polyphenol content.

There have been other literature reviews that found similar results supporting the benefits of dietary flavon-3-ols such as this one from 2012.  

What Should I Be Looking for When I Buy Dark Chocolate?

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, it’s best to pick a dark chocolate bar with 70 percent cacao or higher for optimal benefits.  The higher the cacao, the more bitter the taste, which is why many food manufacturers add a type of sweetener.  In addition, many brands add flavors or textures like mint, quinoa, cashew butter, or raspberries.

Here are some dark chocolate products to gift to your valentine this year to ensure a dose of those heart-healthy flavonoids:

1. Mast Market Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao Bar (sweetened with cane sugar)
2. Taza Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao Bar (sweetened with cane sugar)
3. Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% Cacao Bar (sweetened with sugar)
4. Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight 72% Cacao Bar (sweetened with sugar)
5. Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao Bar (sweetened with sugar)
6. Lily’s Extra Dark 70% COCOA Chocolate Bar (sweetened with stevia)*
7. Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars (sweetened with coconut sugar)*
8. Eating Evolved Midnight Coconut 100% Cacao Chocolate Bar (unsweetened)*
9. Lindt 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolate EXCELLENCE Bar (unsweetened)*
10. Pascha 100% Cacao Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips (unsweetened)*

*While we want to provide options that are unsweetened or sweetened without cane sugar, a 2022 Consumer Reports article found these brands may be higher in Cadmium and Lead.

The Bottom Line

Dark chocolate, when consumed in moderation, can be beneficial for heart health due to its antioxidant content.  To ensure you’re getting the health benefits, choose one with at least 70% cacao content.

Don’t forget you can use Lose It! premium to set custom goals to track items like sugar – check out our how-to article here to learn more.