Chocolate Easter eggs will soon be hitting grocery store shelves and checkout lanes near you. There are plenty of options to choose from, including hollow, solid or filled; dark, white or traditional milk chocolate; malted, candy coated or foil wrapped. Before hopping down the bunny trail this season, take a moment to evaluate a chocolate egg's nutritional information, appreciate its unique health benefits and learn what a reasonable serving size looks like.
Calorie Facts
The following nutrition information is based on a recent survey of chocolate eggs already lining up on grocery store shelves. Cadbury Speckled, M&Ms Spectacular, Hershey foil-wrapped, Peanut Butter Creme and Cadbury caramel eggs were each 170 calories per 34 g serving. Whopper Malted Robin eggs were 153 calories, Cadbury Creme 150 calories and Hershey marshmallow had the lowest or 130 calories per 34 g serving.
A medium-size, hollow Hershey chocolate egg was 600 calories and weighed 114 g. A super-sized Palmer Gnormous Double Crisp hollow egg was 1,440 calories and weighed 282 g.
Nutrient Facts Beyond Calories
Sugar content was highest in the candy-coated and malted varieties. Solid milk chocolate eggs (foil wrapped) had the highest fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content, while chocolate-covered marshmallow eggs had the lowest in these three categories. An advantage to selecting solid milk chocolate Easter eggs is that they contribute 7 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, while peanut butter-filled eggs contribute the highest, 4 percent, Daily Value for iron.
The medium-size, hollow Hershey chocolate egg contained a total of 66 g of sugar, 33 g of fat, 21 g of saturated fat and 30 mg of cholesterol. The Palmer Gnormous Double Crisp hollow egg contained 168 g of sugar, 84 g of fat, 78 g of saturated fat, yet no cholesterol.
Health Advantage: Flavonoids
Chocolate Easter eggs contain flavonoids, naturally occurring compounds found in plants. Flavonoids help repair and protect plants from damage caused by environmental toxins. When we consume foods rich in this compound, we also benefit from their antioxidant-rich properties. Dark chocolate is a richer source of flavonoids than milk chocolate, yet surprisingly at the time of this review, no dark chocolate eggs were available.
Health Advantage: Stroke
At the April 2010 annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Toronto, the following results from three studies will be presented:
Study 1: 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate.
Study 2: 1,169 people who ate 50 g of chocolate one time per week were 46 percent less likely to die after a stroke compared to people who did not.
Study 3: No association between chocolate consumption and risk of death from stroke.
Health Advantage: Pleasure Hormones
Eating chocolate stimulates the release of serotonin, a hormone that causes feelings of relaxation. Chocolate also triggers the release of endorphins, the same hormones released during strenuous exercise. The combination of these chemicals can reduce anxiety and have a calming effect on the people who consume them.
Portion Size
The American Heart Association issued guidelines in the fall of 2009 recommending that women consume no more than 100 calories (25 g) of added sugars per day. Men should consume no more than 150 calories per day (37.5 g). It would be challenging to fit in your chocolate Easter eggs and other normal sources of dietary sugar such as breakfast cereal and sugar added to beverages. The bottom-line recommendation from a registered dietitian is keep the purchased portion reasonable, enjoy your chocolate Easter eggs as a holiday treat, but be sure to get back on track when the day is done.
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