Arteries become clogged when a fatty substance called plaque accumulates along their inner walls. Plaque consists of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other material. This substance impairs circulation and raises your risk of cardiovascular problems like coronary heart disease. Although chocolate contains cholesterol and saturated fat, dark chocolate in moderation may not contribute to increased cholesterol and arterial plaque buildup.
Chocolate and Cholesterol
Chocolate contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant polyphenol. These compounds are similar to the health-supportive antioxidants in green tea and red wine. Oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat as in olive oil, is also present in chocolate. Both substances help to control cholesterol levels. In addition, the saturated fat in chocolate is stearic acid, the only saturated fat that doesn't raise cholesterol levels. When people with normal or slightly elevated cholesterol levels drank a polyphenol-rich cocoa drink for four weeks, they experienced decreased levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, found a study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" of June 2007. Oxidized cholesterol contains free radicals, making it especially harmful. In addition, study participants with high cholesterol experienced lowered LDL cholesterol and increased HDL, or good, cholesterol. This effect on cholesterol makes chocolate unlikely to clog your arteries.
Other Cardiovascular Benefits of Chocolate
Dark chocolate may help protect your cardiovascular health by reducing high blood pressure, or hypertension, a risk factor for stroke. Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate reduces blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels in people with hypertension, found research published in "Hypertension" of August 2005. A later study, published in the September 2007 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found similar results. In this study, participants with prehypertension or low-grade hypertension ate 6.3 grams of dark chocolate containing 30 milligrams of polyphenols for 18 weeks. The percentage of hypertensive individuals in the group fell by 18 percent.
Moderation is Key
All types of chocolate contain around 150 calories and 8.5 grams of fat per ounce. This means chocolate contributes significantly towards your daily calorie and fat limit, while providing few nutrients. If you choose to eat dark chocolate for potential health benefits, a 1 ounce portion daily is enough, advise experts from University of Michigan Integrative Medicine.
Choosing Healthy Chocolate
Dark chocolate containing 60 percent or more cocoa is the best source of flavonoid antioxidants. The darker the chocolate, the more flavonoids it contains. Milk makes chocolate's antioxidants less available to your body, so milk chocolate is a less than ideal source of antioxidants. White chocolate contains no cocoa, making it a poor source of antioxidants. To further limit risk of plaque formation, choose chocolates free of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, which may raise your LDL cholesterol levels.