Did you know that the cacao percentage on your dark chocolate bar doesn’t necessarily indicate the flavanol content?
ConsumerLab rated Montezuma’s 100% Cocoa Absolute Black Dark Chocolate the #1 chocolate bar for flavanols in their report on dark chocolates, cocoa, and cacao products and nibs. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I’d much rather see you get health benefits from other foods that contain phytochemicals (healthy plant nutrients) such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans. However, if you’re having a craving for chocolate, then why not maximize the health benefits that you can get out of it? I like to break up the Montezuma’s chocolate, and eat it with dates, so the combination can give you a sweet flavanol-rich tasty treat. Just a small piece (1/7 of the bar) will get you to the threshold of 200 mg of flavanols, which is when you start to see heart health benefits.
To see benefits in your skin, a small study found that 350 mg of cocoa flavanols daily may enhance skin elasticity and lessen the appearance of wrinkles. As the skin nutrition expert for Christine Conti’s Let’s Face it Together™ Facial Exercise and Rehabilitation Certification, I feel that there are many other nutrition strategies that support your skin health and appearance such as increasing water intake, decreasing sugar and alcohol, and eating plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans. I’d much rather see you do that compared to eating a lot of chocolate to get similar benefits. A daily intake of 500 or more cocoa phenols may have a positive impact on memory and cognition. So, what should you do ultimately? Rather than trying to meet a daily quota of chocolate, you’ll get more bang for your buck from eating fresh vegetables and fruits, which most people in the US are not getting enough of. When you’re craving chocolate, choose better brands such as Montezuma’s 100% Cocoa Absolute Black Dark Chocolate.
Find the bars on Amazon.