7 Myths About Chocolate

The following is a guest blog entry written by freelance writer, Mary Ward.

For centuries, chocolate, and the cocoa from which it is made, has been a sought after substance. It’s far and away the most popular candy type, and sells by the millions year after year. But, there are many myths surrounding chocolate. So, let’s take a look at some of these myths and the truth behind them.

1. Chocolate is bad for you – Not so, at least in its simplest form. Cocoa comes from a bean, making it a plant based product. As such it is full of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important because they work to rid your body of free radicals, naturally occurring oxygen molecules that, when left unchecked, cause cell damage. Free radicals contribute to the development of cancer, heart disease and many other illnesses. We all need plenty of anti-oxidants in our diet to get rid of these free radicals before they damage our cells. Ounce for ounce, cocoa and dark chocolate have more anti-oxidants than blueberries, green tea and red wine – all considered anti-oxidant powerhouses.

2. Chocolate causes acne – Actually, this is most likely just an old wives tale. Studies going back to 1960 have shown that even when large amounts of chocolate are consumed, it has no correlation to getting acne. In fact, in most people, diet as a whole has no bearing on acne.

3. Chocolate causes migraines – Another old wives, tale, it seems. Many studies have been conducted on migraine triggers and chocolate has never been shown to trigger migraines; even when the studies were conducted on people who believed themselves to be chocolate sensitive.

4. Chocolate is high in caffeine – Milk chocolate has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Chocolate does, however, contain theobromine, a caffeine related substance. Theobromine is far less powerful than caffeine.

5. Chocolate causes tooth decay. In fact, chocolate may actually decrease your risk of tooth decay, because recent studies have shown that flavanol anti-oxidants may actually slow the buildup of plaque. Recent dental studies have also shown that tooth decay is mostly caused from foods that linger in the mouth. Chocolate leaves the mouth very quickly, so it is not a serious cause of tooth decay.

6. Many people are allergic to chocolate. Chocolate actually is a food that is very low on the food allergen list. Many people, however, probably wish they were allergic to it!

7. Chocolate makes kids hyperactive – Sugar can sometimes cause children to have excessive energy. And, compared with many other desserts, most chocolate is actually not as high in sugar as many other items. In addition, research has shown that it’s often the atmosphere where sugary substances are served (think birthday party) that causes kids to go wild.

So as you can see, chocolate is not the enemy. And, in fact, if you choose your chocolate wisely, it is actually your friend. Many doctors recommend one ounce of dark chocolate per day to boost your anti-oxidant intake level. So, eat up! Just make sure chocolate, like other treats is eaten in moderation.

Mary Ward is a freelance writer and likes writing about healthcare career topics, such as how to obtain an online x-ray tech degree.

Friday, September 18th, 2009 at 11:00 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.