Chocolate is becoming more than a sweet treat -- it's high in healthy antioxidants. However, not all chocolates are the same in nutritional value. Some products have more antioxidant-rich cocoa solids and cocoa liquor. The Food and Drug Administration has set standards of identity for chocolate and cocoa products in the United States. These standards define the percentage of key ingredients for each type of chocolate. The FDA ensures conformity in manufacturing and protects consumers.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate in the US is called sweet chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate.
Semi-sweet chocolate is made up of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. It must contain 35 percent cocoa butter for US standards. Sweet chocolate has more sugar and cocoa butter than semi-sweet and must contain at least 15 percent chocolate liquor. The amount of cocoa solids in dark chocolate can vary between 35 to 100 percent and is often listed on the label. Health benefits are attributed to chocolates with the higher percentage of cocoa solids.
Milk Chocolate
Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and milk or cream comprise milk chocolate, the most frequently eaten chocolate in the US. Milk chocolate must contain at least 10 percent chocolate liquor and 12 percent milk solids to meet US standards. Cocoa butter and milk fat are the only fats allowed in milk chocolate. Milk chocolate manufactured in Europe contains 25 percent more cocoa solids than chocolate made in America. European chocolate, therefore, has health benefits similar to dark chocolate in the US. Milk chocolate manufactured to US standards does not have enough antioxidants to achieve health benefits.
Each country has their own standards for each type of chocolate.
White Chocolate
White chocolate may not look like chocolate at all. Although it has the same ingredients as milk chocolate, it does not have chocolate liquor or cocoa solids. It must have 20 percent cocoa butter, 14 percent milk solids and less than 55 percent sugar. However, without the cocoa solids or chocolate liquor, white chocolate does not have the antioxidants of dark chocolate nor conveys the health benefits of its darker version.
Benefits
The benefits of chocolate include lowering blood pressure and cholesterol when used in small amounts. According to "The Journal of American Medicine," 6.3 g of dark chocolate -- approximately 30 calories -- eaten daily, lowers blood pressure without any adverse effects in lipid levels or weight gain. "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reported a study that found dark chocolate to be an effective antioxidant in lowering low-density lipoproteins, the "bad" cholesterol. Dark chocolate may be beneficial in improving cardiovascular health when eaten in moderation along with a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
References
- AllChocolate: Chocolate and Your Health
- Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition: Chocolate Types
- JAMA: Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide; Dirk Taubert, et al.; 2007
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans; Yin Wang, et al.; November 2001
- US Food and Drug Administration: Code of Federal Regulations: Cacao Products
- Eur-Lex: Access to European Union Law: Cocoa and Chocolate Products
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