Gentle reader, I submit that people need to make their peace with chocolate. It should be recognized for what it is: a delicious dietary luxury. Instead, too many people feel guilty when they eat chocolate. The result? Manufacturers put all kinds of nonsense into chocolates, or label their chocolate in a particular matter, so that people can salve their consciences by telling themselves that it’s OK to eat a certain chocolate because it’s “healthy”.
Now, I’m not talking about regular chocolate “add-ins”, which can range from toffee to cacao nibs to coconut flakes to crystallized ginger to chiles. These are meant to enhance the flavor of the chocolate, and they can provide delightful contrasts in taste and texture. What gets to me are those manufacturers who seize upon potential health benefits of substances found in chocolate (and elsewhere) and exploit these possibilities for financial gain. Examples include adding guarana, soy germ, or green tea extracts to innocent chocolate bars, blending Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids into hapless truffles, and cramming other chocolate treats full of vitamins and minerals or lots of fiber (I’ve even heard of one woman who added algae to chocolates, but she’s out of business now). There are also those who insist that you should eat only dark chocolate (70% cacao solids content or higher), or consume chocolate sweetened with something other than refined sugar. I hope you will have the good sense to avoid any and all of these manufacturers, not to mention their products.
Undoubtedly, some substances added to chocolate are good for you. Vitamins and minerals are absolutely necessary for good health, and there’s some good evidence that Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids confer health benefits on those who consume them regularly. I have far less faith in extracts used in chocolate (or anywhere else, really). But that’s missing the point. There’s no real reason that any of these things should be added to chocolate at all. Want vitamins and minerals? Eat a balanced diet and take a multivitamin if you like. Think it would be a good idea to get more of those fatty acids into your system? There are any number of ways to do so without getting chocolate into the picture.
Dark chocolate does indeed contain a substantial helping of antioxidants, but far too much remains unknown about antioxidants right now for anyone to declare definitively that you need a specific amount or a specific type to remain healthy. And more of anything isn’t always better; if you take in more antioxidants than your body can use at any one time, the excess may just be excreted. Further, if you want to increase your intake of antioxidants, eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and a broader range of them, is a much better way to go. You’ll take in more types of antioxidants, more fiber, fewer calories, and a lot less fat, not to mention some of those vitamins and minerals.
And, of course, refined sugar is a convenient scapegoat for anything these days, because it’s a big dietary villain now. I’m not denying that far too many people eat too much refined sugar. I don’t think there can be any question about that. But those of you who insist on evaporated cane juice or Sucanat ® as sweeteners tend to forget that both of those are sugar, too; they’re simply less processed. Even the most gung-ho promoter of these sweeteners has to acknowledge that they can hardly be considered nutrient-dense.
Here’s the bottom line: the only reason anything should ever be added to manufactured chocolate is because it makes the chocolate taste better. The only reason ever to eat chocolate is because it makes you happy. Chocolate should taste wonderful, and eating it shouldn’t make you feel bad or guilty. I’ve never tried chocolate that was vitamin-fortified or made with guarana extract that I found worth the calories. Because chocolate is a dietary extravagance, this is an important factor. If you truly live well (a good diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, etc.), there’s room for a small amount of chocolate in your life, minus the guilt. If you enjoy the taste of Omega-3 fatty acid or green tea extract in your chocolate, by all means eat that chocolate. As for me, I’ll take the unadulterated stuff. To those who insist on filling chocolate full of potentially healthy “junk”, I say, let my chocolate go!
October 22, 2008 | 0 Comments
Let My Chocolate Go!
Gentle reader, I submit that people need to make their peace with chocolate. It should be recognized for what it is: a delicious dietary luxury. Instead, too many people feel guilty when they eat chocolate. The result? Manufacturers put all kinds of nonsense into chocolates, or label their chocolate in a particular matter, so that people can salve their consciences by telling themselves that it’s OK to eat a certain chocolate because it’s “healthy”.
Now, I’m not talking about regular chocolate “add-ins”, which can range from toffee to cacao nibs to coconut flakes to crystallized ginger to chiles. These are meant to enhance the flavor of the chocolate, and they can provide delightful contrasts in taste and texture. What gets to me are those manufacturers who seize upon potential health benefits of substances found in chocolate (and elsewhere) and exploit these possibilities for financial gain. Examples include adding guarana, soy germ, or green tea extracts to innocent chocolate bars, blending Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids into hapless truffles, and cramming other chocolate treats full of vitamins and minerals or lots of fiber (I’ve even heard of one woman who added algae to chocolates, but she’s out of business now). There are also those who insist that you should eat only dark chocolate (70% cacao solids content or higher), or consume chocolate sweetened with something other than refined sugar. I hope you will have the good sense to avoid any and all of these manufacturers, not to mention their products.
Undoubtedly, some substances added to chocolate are good for you. Vitamins and minerals are absolutely necessary for good health, and there’s some good evidence that Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids confer health benefits on those who consume them regularly. I have far less faith in extracts used in chocolate (or anywhere else, really). But that’s missing the point. There’s no real reason that any of these things should be added to chocolate at all. Want vitamins and minerals? Eat a balanced diet and take a multivitamin if you like. Think it would be a good idea to get more of those fatty acids into your system? There are any number of ways to do so without getting chocolate into the picture.
Dark chocolate does indeed contain a substantial helping of antioxidants, but far too much remains unknown about antioxidants right now for anyone to declare definitively that you need a specific amount or a specific type to remain healthy. And more of anything isn’t always better; if you take in more antioxidants than your body can use at any one time, the excess may just be excreted. Further, if you want to increase your intake of antioxidants, eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and a broader range of them, is a much better way to go. You’ll take in more types of antioxidants, more fiber, fewer calories, and a lot less fat, not to mention some of those vitamins and minerals.
And, of course, refined sugar is a convenient scapegoat for anything these days, because it’s a big dietary villain now. I’m not denying that far too many people eat too much refined sugar. I don’t think there can be any question about that. But those of you who insist on evaporated cane juice or Sucanat ® as sweeteners tend to forget that both of those are sugar, too; they’re simply less processed. Even the most gung-ho promoter of these sweeteners has to acknowledge that they can hardly be considered nutrient-dense.
Here’s the bottom line: the only reason anything should ever be added to manufactured chocolate is because it makes the chocolate taste better. The only reason ever to eat chocolate is because it makes you happy. Chocolate should taste wonderful, and eating it shouldn’t make you feel bad or guilty. I’ve never tried chocolate that was vitamin-fortified or made with guarana extract that I found worth the calories. Because chocolate is a dietary extravagance, this is an important factor. If you truly live well (a good diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, etc.), there’s room for a small amount of chocolate in your life, minus the guilt. If you enjoy the taste of Omega-3 fatty acid or green tea extract in your chocolate, by all means eat that chocolate. As for me, I’ll take the unadulterated stuff. To those who insist on filling chocolate full of potentially healthy “junk”, I say, let my chocolate go!
Tags: chocolate, Commentary