The Dark Chocolate Myth

Most of you who read my “About Me” page know that I have a degree in Chemistry. I didn’t pursue Chemistry as a profession in the Army because they don’t do the kind of Chemistry I was used to—laboratory work, scientific experimentation, etc. Later in my career, I thought about transferring to an area of expertise called Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction. I even applied for it because there were some good opportunities to obtain a PhD and do laboratory work, but the timing of my request was bad and I couldn’t make the change. Still, the scientific itch has always been there.

I get excited every time I have an opportunity to engage with Chemistry, so when I read an article about dark chocolate and the component flavanols, my scientific sense kicked in.

Flavan-3-ols (sometimes referred to as flavanols)1

Flavanols are found in fruits and vegetables, and studies have shown that eating foods rich in flavanols can reduce cognitive decline.2 According to the article in The Economist, flavanols may also help people with high blood pressure and depression.

In order to reap the benefits, the concentration of flavanols in what we eat or drink is important—and this is where the dilemma with dark chocolate bars comes in.

The article explains that dark chocolate is often promoted as a health food because it contains cocoa flavanols. However, strong scientific evidence doesn’t support most of these claims. While some short-term trials show small benefits, results are inconsistent, and observational studies are unreliable because people who eat more dark chocolate often have healthier lifestyles overall.

It also states that a major long-term randomized controlled trial, called COSMOS3, tested daily cocoa-extract supplements (equivalent to the flavanols in half to 2.8 bars of dark chocolate). Over 3.6 years, the supplements did not reduce diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, strokes, or cognitive decline, though they did lower cardiovascular-disease deaths by 27%. But this does not translate to dark chocolate itself being heart-healthy, since those chocolate bars come with high sugar and saturated fat, both harmful in excess. The recommended amount of cocoa flavanols is 500 mg, so you would need to eat nearly a full bar of dark chocolate a day to reach that amount—meaning you would also be consuming a lot of sugar added to reduce cocoa’s bitterness, along with all the saturated fats that come with processed foods.  

Safer flavanol sources include cocoa powder4, cacao nibs5, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and green tea. The article concludes that dark-chocolate health claims largely come from marketing rather than solid science.

Like the article says, enjoy a piece of dark chocolate as an occasional treat, but not as a health supplement.

This brings up an excellent point: why are these food companies lying to us? Well, obviously, it’s all about making money.

One of my elective classes in college was Food Chemistry. That class was an eye-opener for me. I learned many interesting things, one of them being that food scientists add ingredients to get you hooked on particular foods. You know this is true because every time you open a bag of Doritos or Cheetos, it’s almost impossible to eat just a couple and put the bag away. I, for one, can eat a large bag by myself if I’m not careful. There are plenty of sources about food additives, but you can start with an article about ultra-processed foods and go from there.

So as we prepare for this holiday season, don’t kid yourself about eating a dark chocolate bar for “healthy” reasons. If you want chocolate, just eat a little to satisfy your craving. Instead, try these if you want to add more flavanols to your diet: black tea6, green tea7, cinnamon8, grapes9, and apples10. High Flavanol Cocoa Powder is also mentioned but there is very limited scientific evidence according to the  U.S. Food and Drug Administration.11

Let’s be smart and not allow marketing to influence our eating choices.

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavan-3-ol ↩︎
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-flavanol-rich-diet-may-increase-brain-function ↩︎
  3. https://cosmostrial.org ↩︎
  4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/cocoa-powder ↩︎
  5. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cacao-nibs ↩︎
  6. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/black-tea-benefits ↩︎
  7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352939318300563 ↩︎
  8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464622001153 ↩︎
  9. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/wine/focusing-research-winemaking-pigments-grapes-flavonols/ ↩︎
  10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC442131/ ↩︎
  11. https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-announces-qualified-health-claim-cocoa-flavanols-high-flavanol-cocoa-powder-and-reduced-risk ↩︎

122 thoughts on “The Dark Chocolate Myth”

  1. Ah, dark chocolate and I have been having a love affair for more years than I care to count. I never asked it to give anything to me, just that it always be close at hand, wrapped in gold foil or dressed in silver. I’ve been known to tear off it’s wrapper in a store and happily run the empty paper over the check out machine. I am not overweight, I’m just in love. This is one thing, good or bad, that has been with me for my entire life. LOL I usually don’t over indulge but I can’t imagine going a single day without Dark Chocolate. And just so you know, if chocolate disappeared, men should fear for their lives because it often keeps women sane.

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  2. I always thought dark chocolate was kind of healthy, so this was surprising to read. It makes sense that companies use marketing to make us believe certain foods are good for us. Now I feel like I should get flavanols from tea or fruits instead of chocolate.

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    1. Yes, and I think that was the purpose of the news article, to encourage people to get it from natural sources such as tea and fruit instead of ultra-processed chocolate bars. Thank you for reading and commenting.

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  4. We were introduced to ‘Sacred Cacao’ by our son-in-law a while back. I’ve stuck with it since my wife had a stroke fifteen months ago but mainly so I can lift my cup to hers and say, ‘Truly delicious’ each day.
    I suspected the daily ritual is probably a better speech therapy than it is a nutritional supplement, although the production process is different. However, the same low grade ‘research’ is probably used to substantiate its claims too.
    Imagine: honourable marketing.
    Cheers, Edward.
    Be well and keep doing good.
    DD

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    1. “A better speech therapy” is a valid and important point. I know chocolate lifted the spirits of many during World War II, so there are other valid reasons for it. I didn’t know what sacred cacao was, so I did a quick search. It seems like a good source for the actual benefits, and I’m assuming it’s part of what researchers consider good cocoa powder. I might need to get me some sacred cacao. Thank you for sharing that.

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  10. This is the most amazing public service announcement, Edward! I love it…and I must’ve missed the fabulousness of learning you have a background in chemistry. I can see your love of research and science in how you write, your investigative spirit! I try to get a healthy dose of cinnamon every day and a few cups of green tea (along with our beloved coffee, LOL!) but it’s super helpful to get the scoop on dark chocolate…eat an apple instead. Thank you! 😊❤️😊

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    1. You’re so welcome, my friend. I think I have my bases covered with daily coffee and the occasional tea. It was interesting to learn that you can get the same amount from fruits, coffee, and tea as you would from eating dark chocolate. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend so far.

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  11. Love this peek into your chemistry expertise, Edward. Your recommendation to enjoy a bite of chocolate and stay away from those ultra-processed foods is so good! Those Doritos and Cheetos get me every time!

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  12. “This brings up an excellent point: why are these food companies lying to us? Well, obviously, it’s all about making money.” – I think about this all the time – we know it’s the truth behind their lies… but how is it allowed to happen? Why is it on us to be savvy, not on them to be honest?? Sigh… thanks for this article – I’ll have something to talk to my Chemistry-loving daughter about this weekend! 🙂

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      1. I don’t think we’re that far behind you… we’ve been talking about genetically modified meat a lot in our house – we have to label it in Australia (where we are very protective of our beef), but I’m reading that not all countries have to declare what’s in their food…

        we even have to include labels that show a % of how much is Australian sourced (so a jam label, for example, ends up saying 60% home grown plus some imported ingredients, versus another brand that is 90% so you’re encouraged to buy that instead)… it’s all so interesting (and slightly scary!)

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  13. If only my high school chemistry class would had focused on the compounds of chocolate I may have been more interested. 😄 Cheers to chocolate, with or without the scientific endorsement. All things in moderation. 🍫 Thank you for the interesting information! Dark chocolate and a cup of green tea are flavorful flavanols. 😊

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  15. Always these pleasant surprises about you, Edward, you were on a chemistry track 🙂. What a Renaissance man. Anyway. What about organic cacao powder? I have the biggest habit now. For me the biggest benefit, all marketing aside, is that occasional hot flush rushing to my face (quite lovely in the cold) and the faintest little high. It fades quickly but there is the best little short lived happy high there.
    Now, it does take a lot of palm sugar. Coconut palm sugar is the way. Talking 1.5 tablespoons. Cacao is bitter. But if you do that and mix in some coconut milk, and whisk all this with an electric whisk, we are talking about a beverage so luxurious that it makes all other hot chocolates seem like a joke. Especially with a little cinnamon in there too. It has anti nutrients so we don’t get much iron or magnesium out of these beverages, but that little high and increased blood flow to the head are so great. I use TWO tablespoons when I do this. And the coconut milk can be anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1/3 cup depending on my mood. Coconut milk powder works great too. Always the palm sugar, nothing else meshes with coconut as well. I have mastered this recipe. Ha! I also use Ghiradelli Majestic Dark. I used to prefer the Ghirardelli. But once you get hooked on organic cacao, there’s kind of no going back. I now prefer the cacao. The Ghirardelli does not grant nearly as much of the little feel good high or flushing. But 2 tablespoons of either will do in a pinch. I do this like 2x a day now. I should cut down due to palm sugar and coconut fat but it’s super addictive. Chocolate in bar form tasted good and I will have that sometimes but these beverages are the way to actually feel good. Bonus points if you drink them in front of a roaring fire.

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    1. They are definitely recommending cocoa powder, and I’m assuming it’s the organic one. They’re saying that people just need to read the ingredients to ensure they are getting the one with the most health benefits. My wife uses Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cocoa for recipes. She says it’s good. Drinking it in front of a fire, yes, big bonus points. Thank you, my friend.

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  21. This post is funny because I imagine the informed reader being like ‘duh, it’s chocolate’, but you bring up an excellent point:

    Our marketing is so good that we can make people think even our desserts our healthy.

    EVERYBODY: take a little time to think about what you do and the foods you eat. It’s nice when the things we like have health benefits, but we really have to think about why and how information is being relayed to us.

    If it sounds too good to be true, it doesn’t hurt to take a second look.

    Anyway, let me get back to my health food gummy worms. They say the artificial sugar will make me grow taller!

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    1. 😂 Your gummy comment was awesome. I know, our marketing is impressive. Remember when cigarettes were advertised as cool? And now, tobacco-flavored vapes. I’m telling you, marketing companies are masters of selling crap to people. Thank you for your great comment.

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      1. This is a big thing I struggle with. We can market everything except for the good.

        There’s so much good information out there, but we can’t sell it because it gets overtaken by the fantastical.

        The need to sell good information is unwavering, and there is always a market for the bad.

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  22. Sadly, I have come to believe the majority of our food has been tampered with. I base this on the fact that fruits and vegetables no longer taste like what they appear to be. Processed foods that have been around as long as I have no longer taste like and /or preform like they used to. I try and eat as clean as possible- but I have to wonder if at this point in the game manufacturers have been allowed to play with our food vs their production costs- if eating clean is even a possibility.

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    1. I absolutely agree with you. Homegrown tomatoes taste different, and way better, than anything you buy in the grocery store. The number of food recalls we get on a weekly basis confirms your belief. We have lost quality control of our food chain, and food companies are running amok.

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  23. I like how you made this post not just informational, but personal, Edward. The supposed healthful benefits of extra dark chocolate have been on my radar for many years, and yet somehow I had not heard of cocoa supplements. I never researched the other claims, but I did find, through experience, that extra dark chocolate (at least 80%) gave a small amount of help to migraine headaches. (I used to be plagued with the things, and one will take any little bit of help to ease them.) Have a fabulous Friday. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you, Teagan. So cocoa in its basic form is the healthy part. I didn’t know that high-flavanol cocoa powder was a thing until I read the research papers. There are a lot of benefits, but you have to look at the concentration to make sure you’re getting the right stuff. It seems you found the right one, and that’s a good thing, my friend. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  24. Interesting post, Edward! I’m also a lover of chocolate and blame that on my Swiss heritage. I keep 90% cocoa Swiss dark chocolate on hand to curb any cravings and one small square of that does the trick. I’ve always doubted the health benefits.

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    1. Thank you, Terry. You mentioned your Swiss heritage, and that reminded me of something. There is a huge difference between European chocolate (Belgian, Swiss, and German) and some of the American ones. I remember the first time we tried Belgian chocolate, my goodness, it was good. I think we process ours way too much.

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  26. A great post, Edward! Very insightful and very helpful! It’s so important to bring awareness to the fallacy of food marketing (supplements and “healthy” foods included) and to the dangers of processed food (which in the majority of cases we don’t even need). You did both beautifully. The closer to nature we can eat, the better. Nature doesn’t deceive us for the sake of money. Besides, it provides us with what we need to live healthy. Our part is to choose and combine the foods in a responsible way. And for this, information is key, and I am grateful to have access to your know-how. It’s certainly pertinent to help us make better choices. Infinite blessings and light your way, always! ✨🙏🍀

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    1. Susana, I like your line, “Nature doesn’t deceive us for the sake of money.” It’s so good. Nature doesn’t deceive us, and it’s always trying to help us, but sometimes we’re too hard-headed to realize that. I skimmed through your book Vegan All In All, and you explain things beautifully. I’m about to start my deep reading very soon. Thank you for your comment and your presence here, my friend. 🙏🏼

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  27. Great post, Edward and although I’m not a scientist, I have been eating chocolate that is 92 % dark chocolate and is medicinal. I promise you I did my research and my doctor even said the antioxidants are off the charts. Throw away any drugs and watch the improvement. Mind you, I haven’t eaten if for awhile and with dark a little bite is enough.. xx

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    1. Thank you, my friend. I think there is nothing wrong with eating dark chocolate in moderation, and the news article is simply countering marketing exploitation. I haven’t Googled it yet, but I bet there are people selling dark chocolate perfume and marketing it as a healthy way to get your dose of flavanols. 😂

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    1. I’m not an expert and don’t usually focus on food chemistry until I read interesting articles like this one. I know fresh fruits are a big mood booster, as is coffee in moderation. Thank you for reading.

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  29. Do you ever wonder how your life would be different if you pursued a Chemistry career instead of the military? I received a good grade in Chemistry in college, but it was because the teacher graded on a curve based on our classmates ability, and our class wasn’t adept in the subject. Sometimes I think I should’ve pursued something in science or aviation, instead of education, library, and psychology….
    Chocolate is a favorite treat for me. I don’t even try to eat the ‘healthy’ dark chocolate, I go right to the milky, creamy, melty chocolate. I have no illusions about it being healthy.☺️

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    1. Yes, many times over the years. I would probably have stayed in academia, pursuing a PhD and teaching and running research at a university in Puerto Rico. About seven years before retiring, I thought about teaching chemistry in high school and applied for the Troops to Teachers program, but the Department of the Army stopped funding it, so I took that as a sign that teaching chemistry wasn’t for me.

      I’m with you. I enjoy the occasional chocolate (any kind) without thinking about any health benefits.

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  31. This was an excellent insight into how marketing often diverges from scientific evidence. I enjoy dark chocolate, but it’s eye-opening to see how limited the actual health benefits are. Thank you for clearly presenting the research and highlighting credible sources of flavanols. It’s a helpful reminder to make informed choices rather than relying on marketing claims.

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  32. Amen to it all… that pulled me right in.. I’m a holistic nutritionist and have been in the nutrition and fitness world my entire life and we had a health food restaurant when I was a kid. So it was drilled in real early on sugar and foods. I won’t touch sugar it hates me and I’m super happy about that, it’s an immediate (within seconds I feel it) migraine, telling me the damage it clearly does. I do eat apples w cinnamon and I have cinnamon every single day in a cup of homemade nut milk or coconut milk or hemp milk whatever I decide to make and add a scoop of raw cacao NO sugar ever to it and sprinkle cayenne and cinnamon on it.. it’s the end of the night snack for me. My heart and health are worth it… I love this post it feeds into my non stop rants about food 🤣. Probably good my husband (he’s the opposite) has selective hearing🤣🤣I’m one of the obsessive people that looks at every single ingredient and I remember as a kid Jack Lalaine said when u look on a label and you can pronounce it don’t eat it” that started the movement for me very early in life and boy can I see the changes in the world and the lies..we definitely have to advocate for ourselves and be aware .

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    1. I love your comment, Kerri, and wow, that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. He was a great man. I’m with you. I make homemade bread and use only six ingredients. It’s hard to find bread in the grocery store that has only six ingredients. That tells you the current state of affairs. Thank you so much.

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      1. Exactly right.. I make almost everything and study where it all comes from.. that’s even hard to find what doesn’t have heavy metals, chemicals, trust worthy sources are getting harder that’s forsure.. even our own soils are seeing significantly less growth from previous years. Yikes 😱 but doing my best to… so happy to hear you are too.

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  35. Oh gee, nightmares of Organic Chem in college…I admire you for actually enjoying and excelling in it. Kudos.
    It was in chemistry class in High School (early 70s) that I first learned about chemical esters and how they were used to ‘enhance’ natural food flavors and aromas…I couldn’t believe it! That yummy fresh bread smell in the bread aisle? Esters applied to the plastic wrapping! Anyway – that’s the first time I realized ‘all-natural’ labeling might not be truly ‘all natural’. But, Edward, please leave my dark chocolate out of this conversation – and my red wine! HA! They ***are*** ‘all natural’ and healthy – yes they are, really they are…

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    1. 😂 Laughing at your last comment. By the way, wine is good and full of flavanols thanks to the grapes, so drink up. Yes, your comment about esters reminded me of one of my experiments to replicate the banana aroma, so good.

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    1. Nooo!!! Just kidding, my friend. 😂 There are two people in our house (I’m not one of them) who love dark chocolate, well, any kind of chocolate, really. My weakness is Cheetos; they call me every time I go to the grocery store. I think dark chocolate is healthier than Cheetos. 🤣

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  37. I’m jealous of anyone who excelled in chemistry. lol proud of you! Now that I don’t have to learn it I’m fascinated by everything I read about the chemical makeup of foods and the body’s reaction to them. Love your post! I learned new things today. That always makes me happy. 😁😁😁

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    1. Thank you very much. I really appreciate your feedback. I didn’t pull the thread about the Flavanols in grapes and wine, but this is probably one of the reasons experts say that a glass of wine a day is good for our health. Cheers! 🥂

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  40. Thanks for sharing this info, Edward. I admit I am a bit of a chocoholic and for a very long time shifted to dark chocolate, because it is certainly not as harmful as the more commercial types. Though I know of course that there are added unwanted ingredients like sugar. The good thing is that I can eat a couple of cubes of quality dark against a whole bars or commercial milk chocolate. So hopefully a bit healthier 😁

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    1. You’re welcome, and according to what I’ve read, a dark chocolate bar is better than a regular one. I like chocolate too, but as long as we keep eating a little bit of it instead of a bar every day, we’re going to be okay. Thank you, Michael.

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    1. Thank you for that, Phil. I think the article is trying to help people understand that it’s almost impossible to get the amount of flavanols needed to see any health benefits from eating chocolate bars. Even eating a bar a day won’t get you there. You know how some people are, they’ll eat a chocolate bar a day if they hear it’s healthy. I think eating it the way we are doing, plus adding fruits and vegetables to the diet, is probably the way to go.

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  42. Most chocolate that you can buy at the supermarket – be it milk or dark – is basically candy. We watched the process for fermenting and grinding cocoa from the seeds of the cocoa plant on Kauai – the resulting chocolate bars were much more subtle … and meant to be nibbled and not gobbled. Of course it is very very expensive. The cocoa tea I brought back can clear out your system in a matter of minutes. Once you consume it, you must be close to a bathroom. Take my word for that! You would enjoy that tour – our guide was a botanist.

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  43. I didn’t know you had a degree in chemistry! I admire you for that. I had to take basic chemistry for nursing school and found it very difficult. Luckily, our instructor was sensitive to the needs of nursing students and geared it to us.

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  45. Thanks for ruining my love for dark chocolate Edward. 😁 Actually I eat dark chocolate in small amounts with no illusions of healing magic. It’s a shame how even healthy foods and supplements have become magic bullets for health instead of the basics: whole foods, exercise, sleep, water, etc.

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    1. 😂 Sorry, Brad. Don’t worry, I eat chocolate too, and I’m not stopping anytime soon. It’s good in moderation. You just highlighted the issue, “the magic bullet”. A lot of companies are trying to manipulate people using the “healthy” label instead of simply informing the public and letting them decide. But some companies push these products and then add their “secret sauce” to get you addicted to them. That’s the problem.

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        1. That’s true. I once tried to read the list of additives that are banned in Europe, and I almost got a headache. They are definitely more protective over there, and I wish we used their regulations, but you know how big money influences things in the U.S.

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  46. Marketing has nothing to do with good chemistry and everything to do with “how can we sell you more of product X.” The quicker we understand that the better off we are. It doesn’t mean that product X is horrible, it just means that there’s often more to the story. I wish I understood chemistry like you Edward. I see chemical compounds and my eyes start to glaze over. Yikes!!! 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️😎😎😎

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    1. 😂 I couldn’t resist adding the chemical structure. You are absolutely right about a product not being horrible. Finding more of the story behind the product will help us make an informed decision. Eat a little, a lot, or not at all. Thank you, Brian.

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