Is chocolate good for you? Five health benefits that will make you feel a little less guilty about all those Easter Eggs

If you're feeling guilty after scoffing yourself silly on Easter Eggs, we've got some reassuring news for you - chocolate is good for you.

Yes, you read that right. The world's favourite confectionary is brimming with health-giving benefits.

Unfortunately, this good news comes with a few caveats - and it doesn't give you carte blanche to gorge on giant eggs.

But it might just ease your conscience, if you couldn't resist tucking into a novelty egg or chocolate bunny three over the Easter period. 

Anyway, courtesy of The Mirror, here's the low down on the type of chocolate you should be eating, how best to consume it - and the five surprising health benefits you could enjoy...

What kind of chocolate should I be eating?  

The darker the chocolate, the greater the health benefits. Dark chocolate is packed full of antioxidants and minerals with impressive qualities.

Milk chocolate still contains some goodness, but in much smaller amounts – in fact, it has 2-4 times fewer antioxidants and flavonoids than dark. 

You’d need to eat a lot more of it to get the same health boost, and unfortunately it also contains much more sugar and fat. For every four squares of milk chocolate you eat (about 25g) instead of dark, you’ll be eating a whole 2.5 teaspoons more of sugar.

What percentage cocoa solids is best?

Aim to eat chocolate that contains 70-85% cocoa solids. If you aren’t a fan of strong dark chocolate, try to gradually build up our taste for it. If you’re a lover of white chocolate, we’ve got bad news: it contains no cocoa solids at all and it’s technically not even chocolate and contains none of these health benefits.

How much do I need to eat?

Get the full benefits of dark chocolate by eating 30g a day (about three squares).

Five fab benefits

1. Feed your skin

Forget the old wives’ tale that chocolate will make you break out in spots – the latest science shows that dark chocolate is actually good for your complexion. 

This is because cocoa contains flavonol, a type of phytochemical that boosts skin hydration, plumps up the density, and improves blood flow to the surface. 

It’s also fab for boosting your skin’s natural protection against sun damage – you won’t want to ditch the suncream, but you may want to think about munching your way through a few squares before you head off on hols.

2. Full of minerals

● Dark choc is chock-full of goodness, with 100g of the good stuff containing up to 67% of your recommended daily amount of iron.

● It’s also full of healthy minerals like immunity-boosting zinc. And potassium, which is good for balancing blood pressure . 

● Of course, we don’t recommend that you regularly tuck into
100g in one sitting – it also contains 600 calories and a fair bit of sugar, too.

3. Think smart

We all know that chocolate makes us feel better, and there’s more to it than just a pick-me-up from having a treat.

It contains phenylethylamine in small amounts, which is the same chemical our brains make when we fall in love. There’s a special boost for the more mature brain too: those same flavonols that give your skin a glow are also linked with a reduction in memory loss. 

4. Heart healthy

According to recent studies, dark chocolate has some pretty impressive benefits when it comes to keeping your arteries healthy and unclogged. It helps to prevent white blood cells from sticking to the walls, and works towards keeping your arteries flexible. 

Eating a moderate amount of good-quality chocolate can also lower blood pressure and improve blood flow. One study showed elderly men who ate a small portion of dark chocolate five times a week were 57% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

5. Lowers stroke risk

Cocoa has been proven to lower levels of bad cholesterol while raising levels of the good stuff. Dark chocolate has also been linked with a reduced risk of stroke, with one study showing a risk reduction of 17%.