Dark chocolate can actually be good for you!

Don’t you just love dark chocolate! It gives us that blissful feeling we can’t get anywhere else! There are few foods that we feel as passionate about -- a passion that goes beyond a love for the "sweetness" of most candies or desserts.

What if you found out that it can actually be good for you? That it’s not only rich in flavor but scientific studies have shown that chocolate is full of health benefits? It is one of the most powerful antioxidants rich foods on the planet and it may just be your key to optimal health.

Dr. Oz says, "when you need a sweet treat, reach for a little bit of chocolate—and a brownie doesn't count! Don't go for the milk chocolate either", Dr. Oz says. "You need dark chocolate with 70 percent or more pure cocoa to reap the benefits of flavonoids".

"Flavonoids are these really powerful, vitamin-like substances that when you eat them, guess what they do? They dilate the arteries of the body," Dr. Oz says. "We actually have data they may be beneficial to the heart. So a little bit of dark chocolate is a wonderful healthy dessert."

Healthy Chocolate compared to Candy

Over the centuries, chocolate has come full circle. Most of the modern world currently views chocolate as a tasty but quite unhealthy indulgence meant for only occasional consumption. Experts are pointing out that HEALTHY CHOCOLATE compared to candy is a much better choice, as the average American eats about 100 pounds of sugar yearly, much of which is consumed in snacks.

Health-conscious consumers are now learning that dark healthy chocolate, devoid of some of the unhealthy ingredients usually paired with it in confectionary products, possesses some impressive health properties.


Scientists are rediscovering what ancient Mesoamericans knew centuries ago: chocolate can be very good for you. It may have been cultivated for over two thousand years, but in the last five years science has finally begun to discover the actual health benefits of cocoa. Research is just beginning and is especially promising in the area of phytonutrients, polyphenols, and flavonoids.

Not all chocolate is created equal

However, not all chocolate is created equal. Most candy bars and chocolate foods commonly found in grocery stores are not what you’re looking for. These are typically high in refined (white) sugar, milk fats, and hydrogenated oils—ingredients that replace the truly healthful nutrients found in cocoa.

It’s important to remember that what makes chocolate healthy is the chocolate itself—that is, the pure cocoa that comes from the bean of the cacao plant. Studies confirm that the chocolate products with the highest levels of polyphenols and procyanidins should contain at least 70 percent pure cocoa powder. What this means is that, while it’s not necessarily bad to have “milk” chocolate, which contains a higher percentage of cream or milk, the more pure cocoa the chocolate contains, the more beneficial it will be. Bitter is better.

"Dutching"

Also, many chocolate confections are processed using a procedure known as “Dutching,” which neutralizes the chocolate’s acidic flavor and modifies its color by adding alkali-potash to the cocoa nibs before roasting. However, this alkalinization process also removes most of the chocolate’s natural polyphenols.

Another process commonly used by confectioners that can damage cocoa’s healthy nutrients is roasting: when chocolate is prepared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, its antioxidant compounds are destroyed.

All store-bought chocolate advertised as "Healthy" is actually heat processed, destroying 75% - 80% of the vital nutrients. Can you imagine the power-packed punch that 100% non-heated potency can deliver? That is why chocolate candy bars advertising a high percentage of Cacao have little relative health-value in light of this fact!

Of all the different types of antioxidants identified, flavanols are the most broad spectrum and have been referred to as the "Mercedes Benz" of the antioxidant family! You may have read where nutritionists say to try and eat the dark leafy greens & vegetables or maybe you've heard that it's better to drink the red wine instead of the white wine… Well, it doesn't get any darker than chocolate! Flavanols, however, are very sensitive to high heat. The result with conventional heat-processed chocolate products is that the majority of the flavanol content is destroyed.

Although CocoaVia is processed through this conventional heating process, it is one of the few that actually publish their flavanol content. It would take 10 CocoaVia Bars to equal the flavanol content in just 3 Xocai Power Squares! Let's compare some nutrition facts between these two products...

Healthy chocolate products

So when looking for a healthy chocolate product, look for a dark chocolate product with the following properties:
• Has not been alkalized.
• Has been dried and cool-pressed rather than roasted.
• Consists of at least 70 percent pure cocoa.
• Contains cocoa butter instead of milk fats or hydrogenated oils.
• Contains natural, low-glycemic sweeteners—such as raw cane—rather than refined sugar.