Jan. 22--It sounds too good to be true: Chocolate as health food.
In most cases, it is. Chocolate in most forms is very calorie-dense and high in fat -- not exactly health food credentials.
But it does have antioxidants -- healthy substances known as flavinoids that can help prevent heart disease and possibly improve cognitive function as you age.
"I wouldn't recommend using the excuse that chocolate has powerful antioxidants to justify devouring a whole bar of dark chocolate," said Julie Pryer, fitness & wellness dietitian with the St. John Healthy Lifestyles Department.
If your diet can afford the extra calories found in dark chocolate blocks, it is a way to boost your antioxidant intake, Pryer said. But it's important to remember that there are plenty of other ways to incorporate flavinoids into your diet, including onions, grapes, red wine, tea and other plant foods.
For fewer calories, choose cocoa powder that can be substituted in recipes or made into a drink, Pryer said. Always opt for pure cocoa powder or dark chocolate, as milk chocolate has less antioxidant power.
Another reason to avoid overindulging on chocolate is that many of the chocolate products on the market have been processed, which removes most of the beneficial flavinoids.
"Overall, if you want to add antioxidants to your diet, until more research has been done on the benefits of chocolate, choose more fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains," Pryer said. "They supply less calories
and more variety of vitamins and minerals in your daily diet."
The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends a 1-ounce serving of at least 70 percent dark chocolate a few times per week. That's typically a quarter of a small candy bar, or one square of chocolate. Antioxidant-rich cocoa powder can be bitter on its own, so try adding it to hot breakfast cereals such as oatmeal or farina, or mixing up a healthier cup of hot cocoa or chocolate milk (see recipe below).
According to a Cornell University study, hot cocoa made with unsweetened cocoa powder has double the antioxidants of red wine and four times the amount of green tea.
One health benefit that's not surprising to chocolate lovers -- it's a mood elevator. Chocolate is thought to improve mood and pleasure by boosting serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Using cocoa powder
Cocoa powder can be substituted in a recipe that calls for chocolate. To substitute for 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 tablespoons of dry cocoa combined with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
LIGHTER COCOA
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup skim milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Splenda (sugar substitute)
Ground nutmeg or cinnamon to taste
1. Heat milk in small saucepan on stove over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, Splenda and cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired.
Cary Aspinwall 581-8477 cary.aspinwall@tulsaworld.com
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