There is LOTS of research on chocolate! And some studies show things like people who eat more chocolate have less heart disease, live longer, or they might even win more Nobel Prizes! But these studies can’t show that chocolate the cause. More likely regular chocolate consumption is a marker of wealth and wellbeing.

But mostly these are studies not on eating chocolate itself, but on high doses of compounds found in chocolate. Like theobromine –  this compound has been shown to lower blood pressure, but even if you are eating dark chocolate, you would need to eat about 100g of chocolate to get an active dose – that’s a lot of chocolate and the sugar, fat and calories would likely outweigh any of the benefits from theobromine or other potentially beneficial compounds like antioxidants.  

Chocolate can be high in sugars, calories and saturated fats – excess consumption of which can increase risks for conditions like heart disease. But, unless you are allergic to chocolate, or you hate it, there isn’t any reason to avoid it entirely. Nothing is off the table in a healthy balanced diet. For healthy eating it is recommended that we eat mostly fresh whole foods from the core food groups, but this doesn’t mean we need to abstain from other foods entirely.

Food isn’t just fuel. Food is part of our joy, celebrations, and culture. Not every food choice needs to be maximised and optimised for nutrition, food is much more complex than that. 

So, what about you? Do you eat chocolate regularly? In your opinion, does chocolate make people happier?

Read more at: https://hmri.org.au/news-article/chocolate-good-or-bad-you#:~:text=Chocolate%20can%20be%20high%20in,in%20a%20healthy%20balanced%20diet.