Is chocolate good for you?
'When we think about cocoa, or chocolate itself, it's really the components of the chocolate that are really conferring a potential benefit,' Dr. David Rzeszutko, vice president of Medical and Clinical Operations at Priority Health, said.
He explained that chocolate has polyphenols, which are found in plants and give them color, taste and texture. They have some potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cardiovascular aging benefits. Chocolate can also have mental health benefits.
'When we're eating cocoa or taking in cocoa, it actually can affect our hormones as well as neurochemicals that give us both satiety as well as a sense of well-being,' he said.
To get the potential benefits of chocolate, Rzeszutko said it's important to choose a high-cocoa content chocolate, like 70% to 90%, because that is where the polyphenols are found.
'Dark chocolate has a higher cocoa content than milk chocolate. Milk chocolate is again going to have milk product and a lot of sugar in that. And then, white chocolate does not have any cocoa at all,' he said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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