Is Chocolate a Health Food Imposter?

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom 

Last Friday’s Wall Street Journal reported the anticipated approval in Europe for a special “super-chocolate” that carries a new label for improving heart health. This claim is based on decades of research on cocoa beans, and their documented biological effects in animals and humans showing a relaxation of blood vessels that translates into increased (and easier) blood flow. These actions can lead to a healthier cardiovascular system. A decision in Europe is expected early next year.

Spoiler alert: your typical candy bar does NOT qualify for this label. Here’s why — most of the active ingredients in cocoa, the heart-healthy flavanols (antioxidants), are lost during processing. While dark chocolate does have more antioxidants than milk chocolate (and white chocolate, which is not even chocolate, has none), studies show you need to consume about a quarter of a pound a day (around 500 calories)  for several weeks to lower blood pressure. So, a square or two a day of dark chocolate is unlikely to make much of a dent in your heart health.

But this new “super-chocolate” preserves 80% of the flavanols. It may promote heart health and improved blood vessel function in a small serving — about 1/3 of an ounce. This specially labeled chocolate, by the manufacturer Callibaut, is anticipated to be available in Europe soon. It’s the only chocolate that will be labeled with a specific health claim.

If you’re interested in a high-flavanol chocolate product, you can buy a product online called CocoaVia. It’s made by Mars, the same company that makes M&Ms. Be on the lookout for other high-flavanol chocolates to appear in the US market.

The bottom line: If you like chocolate, have it as a small treat. But don’t add it to your diet as a way to promote your health. Certain chocolates can have a value-added health benefit, but read the fine print first!