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Healthy Heart Tips: Can Chocolate Be Healthy?

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

The 7th of July marks World Chocolate Day and we are taking the opportunity to talk about one of the nation’s favourite snacks! Many of us are fond of this creamy confectionary and there have been various health claims made over the years. In this #HealthyTip we look at chocolate and discuss how it can form part of a balanced and heart-healthy diet.

What is chocolate?

Chocolate is made with the cocoa bean which contains substances called polyphenols. These contain antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and lower cholesterol. Cocoa beans are processed to make cocoa solids that are used in chocolate. Cocoa solids on their own contain no added sugar and contain some fibre making them heart healthy. However, most chocolate consumed contains lots of added sugar and fat which makes it not so heart healthy.

What chocolate is healthiest?

Dark chocolate is the best option as it contains more cocoa solids (which contain the heart-healthy stuff). The higher the percentage of cocoa solids the better, try to choose ones with 70% cocoa solids or more. Avoid milk and white chocolate as these are low in cocoa solids and high in fat and sugar.

Enjoy as part of a balanced diet

Chocolate can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet and there is no need to feel guilty for eating it. The key is to swap it for a healthier version (dark chocolate) and consume it in moderation as it is still high in saturated fat and calories which consumed in excess can lead to weight gain and contribute to high cholesterol and heart diseases.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of the Healthy Heart recipes from the Heart Research UK website

Heart Research UK
Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.