Posted: 06.11.2024 17:19:00

Which chocolate is healthiest, doctor explains

Chocolate is a sweet antidepressant and a delicious stress reliever. Many experts say that this product has many positive properties for the body, with Russian microsurgeon Ruslan Masgutov sharing with us what kind of chocolate is the healthiest.

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According to the doctor, the less sugar and the greater the proportion of cocoa in chocolate, the healthier it is.

“Cocoa is useful for lowering blood pressure. Scientists have not yet figured out the mechanism of action, but it is known for sure that cocoa dilates blood vessels. It is also able to influence the balance of cholesterol in the body due to flavonoids, which reduce levels of ‘harmful’ cholesterol (LDL) and increase levels of ‘healthy’ (HDL),” Ruslan Masgutov explained.

The expert noted that chocolate ingredients stimulate neural activity in areas of the brain associated with pleasure and reward, thus helping to reduce stress and improve mood. Theobromine and caffeine are especially interesting, which slightly activate the body, contributing to cheerfulness. In addition, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, fluorine and iron – found in chocolate – help fight anaemia and stimulate brain activity.

“There are several types of chocolate,” Ruslan Masgutov added. “The healthiest, e.g., is unsweetened, made from 100 percent cocoa mass, and dark chocolate which contains at least 70 percent cocoa. It is rich in flavonoids and relatively low in sugar. Most people prefer milk chocolate, but it is less useful, being made just from 10 percent cocoa mass and milk of various types: dry, liquid, condensed. Therefore, there is significantly more sugar in it. Finally, the most useless chocolate is white, having a huge content of milk and sugar, while the percentage of cocoa is very low.”