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Chocolate is often surrounded by myths and prejudices and claims that chocolate is "bad for you", which are almost certainly based on the excess sugar and added vegetable fat generally used in poor grade, mass-produced chocolate. Indeed cocoa butter is a vegetable fat, but in this case vegetable fat is referring to warm pressed (refined) vegetable oils (Borneo tallow, palm-oil, shea, sal...) that contain chemically manipulated trans fat which doesn't correspond very well with the needs of the human body. Quality chocolate contains pure cocoa butter with no added fat, as well as a high percentage of cocoa solids and correspondingly less sugar - in some cases hardly any. Specific claims that chocolate causes migraine, obesity, acne, tooth decay, allergies and addiction have also been refuted by several medical experts. Following is true and false about chocolate: Migraine: Cheese and chocolate have been cited as a cause of migraine, which can be set off by large doses of tyramine. Chocolate, however, contains only a very small quantity of tyramine, far less than cheese. Obesity: Good quality plain chocolate is unlikely to be the cause of obesity because it contains far less sugar than "junk" chocolate and, because it's more expensive, is less likely to be eaten to excess. According to Stephan Rössner, MD and professor specializing in obesity, obesity and chocolate consumption cannot be linked together if looked upon through the whole of a nation. You simply don't gain weight from eating proper good quality chocolate! Acne: Recent American surveys show no correlation between chocolate consumption and acne in teenagers. Likely culprits are hormonal imbalances and lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet. Tooth decay: Chocolate melts in the mouth and is therefore in contact with the teeth for a relatively short time. Chocolate contains tannins that counteract an enzyme that causes caries. Chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa also contains less sugar and more calcium and fluoride which in their turn strengthen the teeth and fight cavities. Allergy: Less than 2 per cent of the human population have genuine food allergy, and an allergy to chocolate is extremely rare. It is more likely to be the nuts and milk in chocolate that are the cause, so check the ingredients carefully. To guard themselves the manufacturers often write on the packages that their chocolate may contain traces of hazelnuts, almonds or peanuts, since there could be residues of these left in the machines. Addiction: Chocolate contains the substance Theobromine which in some ways resembles caffeine, however without the addictive effect of the caffeine. According to Åke Bruce, professor at the Swedish National Food Administration, it hasn't been possible through tests to relate substances in chocolate to physiological addiction. Nothing suggests that chocolate creates physiological withdrawal symptoms. It's more inclined to think that chocolate is commonly associated with desire and delight and that the urge is a consequence of hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle, which explains why so many women feel a temptation. Our urge to eat chocolate is most certainly physiologically conditioned. Sources: McFadden, C. 2000. Chocolate - A celebration of the World's Most Addictive Food. London:Hermes House |
You don't get
fat from eating
chocolate, nor
does it damage
your teeth!
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