Is Eating Chocolate in Moderation Actually Good For Your Health?

Chocolate is a revelation. It’s a celebration in good times and a comfort in bad—an aromatic, silky and gratifying slice of edible ecstasy. But recent studies indicate that chocolate can do more than just satisfy the soul. Moderate consumption of cocoa, the seeds of the cacao plant which are fermented, roasted and tempered into chocolate, can actually help to heal the body, too.

The health benefits of cocoa and chocolate are often attributed to the antioxidants they contain. Antioxidants are compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that reduce oxidative stress, a naturally occurring imbalance of free radicals in the body that can result in cell and tissue damage and lead to chronic conditions. Consuming cocoa and chocolate in moderation have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure.

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight?

Cocoa’s superpowers aren’t limited to the heart, however. According to Dr. Joshua Lambert, professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University, studies at the Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health which he co-directs indicate that the compounds in cocoa can also positively impact the digestive system and help to manage weight. “These compounds can reduce the activity of enzymes that digest fat and carbohydrates in the diet [which] could reduce body weight gain and some of the co-morbidities of obesity,” he explains.

Chocolate and Digestive Health

Other studies show that consuming cacao can reduce inflammation in the gut and improve gut barrier function. “Gut barrier function is important in keeping the things in your intestine and colon in your intestine and colon,” says Lambert. Chronic inflammation can occur when the microorganisms in the gut escape into the bloodstream, as they commonly do in those who are obese or suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. “Dietary cocoa appears to improve gut barrier function and reduce metabolic endotoxemia and the inflammation associated with obesity, [as well as] fatty liver disease.” Exactly how cocoa does this is not yet well understood, Lambert concedes, but it’s likely that “multiple things are happening all at once.”

Although consuming cocoa regularly can have positive benefits, frequently feeding a chocolate craving is not necessarily the ticket to good health. Cocoa and chocolate are not the same; the latter typically contains sugar and higher levels of fat than the former, which may cancel out its inflammation-fighting properties. But while eating straight cocoa powder, which has a bitter and astringent flavor is likely more beneficial health-wise, chocolate shouldn’t be ruled out altogether.

How Much Chocolate is Beneficial?

A 2017 study indicated that moderation is key. Eating up to 30 grams of chocolate up to three times a week may help to reduce the risk of developing stroke, coronary heart disease and diabetes. The reduction in risk of diabetes can even be associated with more frequent chocolate consumption.

It’s likely that dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is better for extracting the confection’s health benefits but additional studies are needed to determine exactly what chocolate form is ideal from a health perspective. Epidemiological models suggest there are benefits to eating chocolate in various forms across the board.

Does the Processing of Chocolate Make a Difference?

The impact of processing cocoa into chocolate on its health benefits—all that fermentation, roasting, winnowing and tempering—is also unclear, at least for now. Whereas processing has typically been thought of as having a negative effect on the health benefits of cacao, test tube studies at Lambert’s lab suggest the story is more complicated.

“Processing may actually improve beneficial activity by favoring the formation of different compounds including other polyphenols that have greater beneficial activity,” he explains. Plus, not only does processing help develop the flavor and aroma of the cocoa into the chocolate we know and love, it also pasteurizes the cocoa, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

The Bottom Line

So can regular, moderate consumption of chocolate and cocoa replace other heart- and gut-healthy measures like regular exercise, eating prebiotic and probiotic foods and stress reduction? Sadly, no, says Lambert. “In terms of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, I think that it's important to keep in mind that chocolate isn't a magic bullet,” he cautions. But eating chocolate regularly, under 30 grams three times a week, can be part of a diet and lifestyle that is optimized for longevity and good health.