Cocoa flavanols found in dark chocolate can provide several health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and reducing the risk for heart disease. Dark chocolate may also reduce your craving for unhealthy foods by providing a greater feeling of satiety than milk chocolate, recent research suggests.
Research
In 2008, researchers in the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Life Sciences performed a study to compare the effects of dark chocolate and milk chocolate on satiety and appetite. The researchers tested 16 young, healthy men, providing them with dark chocolate on one occasion and milk chocolate on another. When provided with pizza two and a half hours after eating chocolate, participants ate 15 percent fewer calories when they had eaten dark rather than milk chocolate. Participants reported fewer cravings for sweet, salty or fatty foods during the 5 hours after consuming the dark chocolate. Researchers have not yet found a conclusive explanation for dark chocolate's greater ability to provide satiation.
Caloric Value
Like milk chocolate, dark chocolate contains a significant amount of calories and fat. One ounce of dark chocolate contains 136 calories and 8.5 g of fat, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dark chocolate's ability to provide a feeling of fullness sooner than milk chocolate probably does not come from its calorie or fat content, however. In the University of Copenhagen's 2008 study, the milk chocolate and dark chocolate provided to participants had about the same number of calories.
Energy Density
While dark chocolate may satisfy you sooner than milk chocolate, it will not necessarily produce the lasting feeling of fullness that foods with lower energy density and more dietary fiber can provide. Dark chocolate is a high energy density food, meaning it contains many calories for its volume. Low-energy-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables, have high water content and relatively few calories. Choosing less energy-dense foods can help you fill up without eating too many calories, suggests MayoClinic.com. Choosing fiber-rich whole grains and vegetables can also help you achieve lasting satiety.
Health Benefits
Cocoa and chocolate contain a type of flavonoid called flavanols. Flavanols are naturally occurring antioxidants which can help protect the body's cells from free radical damage. Flavonols can help reduce your LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, lowering your risk for heart disease. For the greatest health benefits, choose chocolate with a high cocoa content that has undergone minimal processing, suggests the Cleveland Clinic. Consume chocolate in moderation to avoid exceeding your calorie needs.
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