Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate. Americans buy a billion dollars worth of candy for this holiday every year, and 75 percent of it is chocolate. Although this candy contains a lot of sugar, fat, and calories, it can also—in the case of high-quality dark chocolate—provide significant health benefits.

Cocoa liquor, the creamy paste of ground, roasted cacao beans used to make chocolate, is nature’s richest source of polyphenols, a class of phytonutrients with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. That’s why dark chocolate has one of the highest oxygen radical absorbance capacities (ORAC, a measure of antioxidant strength) of any food, including superstars such as spinach, blueberries, broccoli, and grapes. Moderate consumption of dark chocolate has been shown to enhance the health of the arteries, lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, and protect against heart disease and cancer.

Equally important—especially on Valentine’s Day—chocolate simply makes you feel good. I’m not just talking about this confection’s delicious taste and creamy, comforting “mouth-feel.” Cocoa contains theobromine, which relaxes the nervous system and increases alertness, as well as compounds that promote the release of endorphins, serotonin, phenylethylamine, and other neurotransmitters that boost mood and reduce stress. In fact, cocoa may actually stimulate the same receptors that are aroused by falling in love. No wonder chocolate and Valentine’s Day are inseparable.

For maximum health benefits, stick with dark chocolate, which contains more protective phytonutrients and less sugar, and eat it in moderation. Happy Valentine’s Day!

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 12:15 pm and is filed under Diet, Foods That Heal, Wellness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.