You might find yourself indulging in a box of chocolates or another heart-shaped confection as Valentine’s Day draws near. You might not be surprised to hear that some of that chocolate could be somewhat healthful.

referring in particular to dark chocolate

Sindhu Aderson, Medical Director of Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care, discussed some of the advantages of dark chocolate in an interview with Bob Sirott of Nexstar’s WGN Radio.

Citing recent research, Aderson stated, “The higher percentage of cocoa in your chocolate, the more health benefits are possible.” The main findings of the study included the fact that dark chocolate is a good source of fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.

“Eating these healthier forms of cocoa can help improve your health and lower high blood pressure,” the speaker continued. Reducing hypertension can lessen the likelihood of developing specific types of heart disease.

The entire audio of Aderson’s talk with Bob Sirott is available here.
Dark chocolate has also been recommended by some as a healthy snack to help you feel full. In a 2019 blog post, Donald Hensrud, the director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, stated that dark chocolate is a high-protein, high-fat snack that can help you feel sated, or full.

Naturally, though, there are drawbacks to dark chocolate. Aderson clarified that chocolate contains lipids, which can be harmful. It can also raise blood sugar, which is something diabetics may find problematic.

But compared to milk chocolate, black chocolate usually has less sugar. For the “most ‘health benefits,'” a dark chocolate with 70% to 80% cocoa content is suggested, according to a US Davis Health blog post.

However, health experts advise against consuming dark chocolate too soon to bedtime.

Because dark chocolate contains caffeine, Michelle Drerup, a sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic, told Nexstar that it can interfere with deep sleep.

“The half-life of caffeine is about five to seven hours,” Drerup explained. “So if their typical bedtime is around 10 o’clock, we usually say, you know, by noon, one o’clock, that’s an ideal time to cut it out.”