The Nutrients in Chocolate

The composition of cocoa and chocolate has been extensively studied. The fat in chocolate, which is primarily derived from cocoa, is comprised of two saturated fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acids, and the monounsaturated oleic acid, in addition to a small amount (less than 5%) of other fatty acids. Although consumption of saturated fats is thought to raise cholesterol, and thus raise the risk of heart disease, regular consumption of cocoa butter and chocolate has been repeatedly shown to not raise blood cholesterol. Further research has shown that this is probably due to the relatively high concentrations of stearic acid, which studies have shown to have a cholesterol-neutral effect, and oleic acid, which is known to have mild cholesterol-reducing effects. In addition to the fat and simple sugars present in chocolate, the cocoa component in chocolate is rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, copper, potassium and manganese. Indeed, chocolate is thought to be one of the largest single contributors of copper to the diet in the United States.

Phytochemicals in Chocolate
In addition to the well-known and essential macro- and micronutrients present in chocolate, there are a number of phytochemicals in cocoa and chocolate that may have important health effects in humans. Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds present in plant foods such as cocoa, and they are attracting a great deal of interest in the nutrition and medical research community because of their potential health benefits beyond that of classical micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, etc. Over the years, cocoa has been recognized for its phytochemical content, especially the methyl xanthines caffeine and theobromine, and, more recently, the antioxidant flavonoids. Although chocolate is often thought to contain relatively large amounts of the stimulant caffeine, the actual amount is relatively low compared with that present in tea and coffee. A large number of other compounds are naturally present in cocoa and chocolate; however, none have yet been shown to influence human health and behavior.

Flavonoids in Chocolate
Of much greater interest in the context of health benefits is the rich flavonoid content of raw cocoa and the relatively rich flavonoid content of some chocolates and cocoas. Flavonoids are part of a large and diverse class of phyto-chemicals called polyphenols. Several thousand flavonoids exist in substantial amounts in common plant-based foods, such as tea, chocolate, cocoa, soybeans and wine. Interestingly, several decades ago flavonoids were thought to be essential micronutrients and equivalent to vitamins. However, subsequent research failed to confirm this, and their status as essential nutrients was officially removed in 1950. Epidemiological research, which studies the association between diet and health, in the last decade has suggested that some flavonoids might protect against certain chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. However, the totality of the evidence is not conclusive and the results of these studies can be justifiably criticized due to a lack of reliable food composition data defining the true contribution commonly consumed foods make to flavonoid intake. In spite of the equivocal nature of this research, the appealing nature of it has sparked needed research to understand the mechanism by which flavonoids might be able to protect against heart disease, and these results have shown that at least some flavonoids do have the potential to promote a healthy cardiovascular system.

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