1. Chocolate in Perspective

2. Where does chocolate come from?
Chocolate is made from the Cacao (or cocoa) bean which is the seed of the fruit that grows on the cocoa tree.

3. Benefits of chocolate
Chocolate and cocoa contain a high level of flavonoids (antioxidants), which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

4. What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants help protect your cells against the effects of free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation.
Free radicals can damage cells.
They may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

5. What are Flavonoids?
Flavonoids are Antioxidants found naturally in many plant-based foods:
Apples
Citrus fruits
Berries
Cranberries
Red wine
Green and black tea

6. Chocolate and Flavonoids
Good: Milk Chocolate
Better: Dark Chocolate>70%
Best: Cacao Nibs/Raw Cocoa

7. Flavonoid Content of Popular Foods
Portion
Calories
Flavonoid Content (mg)
Green tea, brewed
7 ounces
278
Black tea, brewed
235
Cheeries, raw
12 cherries 62
130
Blueberries, raw
2/3 cup 55
118
Capers
4 TBSP 11
105
Raspberries, raw
¾ cup 48 56
Grapefruit, raw
1 small 32
Orange 45 44
Kale, raw
1 ½ cups 50 34
1 glass of red wine
5 ounces
127 31
Grapes, black
20 grapes 68 23
Dark chocolate
1 ½ ounces
225 22
Apple w/skin
1 cup sliced 57 14
Milk chocolate 5

8. Compare… 1 ½ Ounces of Chocolate 208 Calories 225 Calories
is high calorie
Plant-based foods
are lower calorie
1 ½ Ounces of Chocolate
Equals:
225 Calories
14 grams of fat
22 mg of flavonoids
12 cherries, 2/3 cup
blueberries, 4 Tbsp Capers,
¾ cup raspberries, and 1
small grapefruit combined
Equals:
208 Calories
<1 gram of fat
464 mg flavonoids

9. If you like chocolate… Enjoy chocolate in Moderation.
(Up to 3 ounces a week)

10. For Heart Health and to increase antioxidant consumption…
Choose from a wide variety of low-calorie, antioxidant-rich foods:
Green and Black Tea
Cherries, Blueberries, Raspberries
Grapefruit
Oranges
Kale
Buckwheat
Apples

11. References
Faridi Z, Njike VY, Dutta S, Ali S, Katz DL. Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: A randomized controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008; 88:58-63.
Cleveland Clinic: Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute; Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled,
Ding EL, Hutfless SM, Ding X, Girotra S. Chocolate and prevention of cardiovascular disease: A systemic review. Nutrition & Metabolism 2006;
Taubert D, Roesen R, Schomig E. Effect of cocoa and tea on blood pressure. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(7):
RD Accessed 4/8/2010.
Eating Well Accessed 4/8/2010.
USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods – Accessed 4/9/2010
Calorie King Food Database Accessed 4/9/2010

12. CHOCOLATE

13. IN

14. PERSPECTIVE