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One of the main benefits of chocolate is to provide energy to the body because it is rich in calories, but there are different types of chocolate that have very different compositions and, therefore, the health benefits may vary according to the type of chocolate. The types of chocolate that exist are white, milk, ruby or pink, slightly bitter and bitter.
Thirty grams of chocolate averages 120 calories. So that these calories do not become accumulated fats, the ideal is to eat chocolate for breakfast or at most as a dessert after lunch, as this way, these calories will be spent during the day. If you eat chocolate at night, when the body is at rest, these calories will most likely be deposited as fat.
The benefits of chocolate are present especially in dark and semi-dark chocolate, due to its higher concentration of cocoa:
- It improves heart health because it promotes an adequate blood flow due to the powerful antioxidants of the group of flavonoids that it has, which are catechins, epicatechins and procyanidins;
- It stimulates the central nervous system and cardiac muscles, as it has theobromine, which is a substance with an action similar to caffeine;
- It increases the feeling of well-being, as it helps to release the hormone serotonin;
- Decreases blood pressure and improves blood circulation as it produces nitric oxide, which is a gas that allows arteries to relax;
- It increases good HDL cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol, in addition to preventing the formation of atherosclerosis plaques due to its antioxidant and cardioprotective effect;
- Improves brain function by increasing blood flow to the brain due to stimulating substances such as caffeine and theobromine, which also prevent Alzheimer's;
- Protects the skin from the sun thanks to its bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, which protect the skin against damage from UV radiation;
- It reduces hunger, being a great option for those who are looking to lose weight, as long as consumed in moderation.
To have all the benefits of dark chocolate, just eat a square of dark or semi-dark chocolate a day, which is equivalent to about 6 g.
Learn more about the benefits of chocolate in this video:
Does white chocolate have benefits?
White chocolate is made only with cocoa butter and therefore does not have the same benefits as milk chocolate, bitter or semi-bitter. Despite this, it has no caffeine which can be an advantage, especially for people who do not give up eating chocolate but cannot consume caffeine after 5 pm, for example.
Chocolate nutritional information
Nutritional value per 25g of chocolate | White chocolate | Milk chocolate | Ruby or pink chocolate | Semisweet chocolate | Bitter chocolate |
Energy | 140 calories | 134 calories | 141 calories | 127 calories | 136 calories |
Proteins | 1.8 g | 1.2 g | 2.3 g | 1.4 g | 2.6 g |
Fats | 8.6 g | 7.7 g | 8.9 g | 7.1 g | 9.8 g |
Saturated fat | 4.9 g | 4.4 g | 5.3 g | 3.9 g | 5.4 g |
Carbohydrates | 14 g | 15 g | 12.4 g | 14 g | 9.4 g |
Cocoa | 0% | 10% | 47,3 % | 35 to 84% | 85 to 99% |
Difference between the main types of chocolate
The differences between the types of chocolate that exist are:
- White chocolate - has no cocoa and has more sugar and fat.
- Milk chocolate - it is the most common and has some amount of cocoa, milk and sugar.
- Ruby or pink chocolate - is a new type of chocolate that contains 47.3% cocoa, milk and sugar. Its pink color is natural, as it is made from the cocoa bean Ruby, and has no flavorings or dyes. In addition, it has a characteristic red fruit flavor.
- Dark chocolate - is the one that has 40 to 55% cocoa, little amount of cocoa butter and sugar.
- Dark or dark chocolate - is the one that has more cocoa, between 60 to 85%, and less sugar and fat.
The more cocoa the chocolate has, the more health benefits it will have, so the benefits of dark and dark chocolate are greater than other types.
Healthy mousse recipe
This is the best chocolate mousse recipe because it is economical and has only 2 ingredients, which increases the chocolate content and its health benefits.
Ingredients
- 450 ml of boiling water
- 325 g of dark chocolate for cooking
Preparation mode
Just add the boiled water to the broken chocolate and mix with a whisk. The chocolate will melt and initially become liquid, but gradually it should become more consistent.
This happens in about 10 minutes after continuing to stir the mixture. To cool a little faster you can put the bowl where the chocolate is in another larger bowl with ice water and ice cubes while mixing.
If you think the taste is too bitter, you can add a pinch of salt to reduce the bitter and intensify the chocolate flavor.