Can You Eat Dark Chocolate If You Have High Cholesterol?

Do you find the taste of dark chocolates too tempting? As a person diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, you may be skeptical about eating those yummy dark chocolates. In this article, we will take you through how dark chocolate impacts your cholesterol levels.

What Is Dark Chocolate?

Dark chocolate is made using 50 to 90% of cocoa solids. The other ingredients include cocoa butter and sugar. Ideally, milk should not be added to dark chocolate.

However, traces of milk may be present in it due to cross-contamination during processing. The reason is that the same machinery is used to manufacture both milk and dark chocolate.

Nutritional Information

Let’s check out the nutritional contents in a 101-gram (g) bar of dark chocolate that contains 70–85% cocoa solids.

Calories	604
Protein	7.87 g
Fat	43.06 g
Carbohydrates	46.36 g
Dietary fiber	11.00 g
Sugar	24.23 g
Iron	12.02 milligrams
Magnesium	230.00 mg
Zinc	3.34 mg

Dark Chocolate Reduces LDL Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein is often known as the “bad” cholesterol. The reason is that it accumulates in the walls of your blood vessels and increases the chances of health issues such as heart attack and stroke.

According to studies, eating dark chocolate as a short-term intervention reduces your LDL and total cholesterol levels. However, it is to be noted that the dark chocolate intervention was not found to lower the HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.

With some types of LDL cholesterol, there are more chances to oxidize and this happens as a result of reacting with free radicals in your body.

Subsequently, oxidation causes the LDL particle to become reactive. Ultimately, it can damage your other tissues, such as the lining of your arteries in the heart. Cocoa has properties that reduce the oxidation-prone forms of LDL.

The powerful antioxidants present in cocoa enter your bloodstream and provide protection for lipoproteins against oxidative damage. 

Dark Chocolate Increases HDL Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein is generally known as “good” cholesterol. High levels of HDL cholesterol lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Studies have revealed that eating dark chocolate leads to a rise in HDL among people with type 2 diabetes.

Other Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate

When compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate contains 2-3 times higher cocoa solids. Rich in plant chemicals termed flavanols, cocoa may aid in providing protection for your heart.

Studies show that flavanols play a role in enabling the production of nitric oxide in the endothelium.

As a result, it helps relax your blood vessels and boost blood flow, thus reducing your blood pressure. In the long run, flavanols present in dark chocolate may also help lower the risk of diabetes. 

Dark chocolate contains bioactive compounds that are really good for your skin. The flavonols provide protection against damage from the sun, boost blood flow to the skin, and enhance skin density and hydration.

Last, but not least, dark chocolate also improves the functioning of your brain. Thus, you benefit from improved attention, memory, and verbal learning. 

How Often Can You Consume Dark Chocolate?

Dark chocolate can definitely help lower your bad cholesterol levels. However, it doesn’t mean that you should consume it with every meal.

Make sure that you eat dark chocolates, only in moderation. Consuming dark chocolate in excessive quantities can lead to higher caffeine levels in your blood, increased heart rate, dehydration, nausea, and insomnia.  

Health Benefits Of Combining Almonds And Dark Chocolate

Studies show that eating a combination of ⅓ cup of almonds, ¼ cup of dark chocolate, and 2 1/3 tablespoons of cocoa a day may aid in lowering the risk of coronary heart disease.

In short, the findings of the study are that combining dark chocolate, raw almonds, and cocoa led to a major reduction in LDL cholesterol among those who are overweight or obese.

Conclusion

As we already discussed, dark chocolate provides several health benefits, including lowering bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol.

However, eating it in large quantities may do more harm than good. Thus, the key is to consume dark chocolate only in moderation.