Nothing says “I love you” like a decadent bar of rich chocolate for your Valentine. There are many types of chocolate, but dark chocolate is the one that has received all the hype for its health benefits. However, can such a treat be good for you?
Like milk chocolate, dark chocolate is made with cocoa butter, sugar, and cocoa solids, but dark chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa solids, giving it the bitter taste you either love or hate. It also contains less added sugars and 2-3 times more flavanols than milk chocolate. Flavanols are a polyphenol found in the cocoa bean and have been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Specifically, they help produce nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Sadly, while most cocoa products start off rich in flavanols, much of these beneficial compounds get destroyed during processing. This means that the amount of chocolate needed to prove beneficial, is not realistic to achieve each day, and in fact, can be more harmful due to chocolate’s high calorie, sugar, and fat content.
Store chocolate in an airtight container in a cool, dark area but not the refrigerator, unless the kitchen is excessively warm. Exposure to hot, humid environments can cause chocolate to develop white spots, which is safe to eat but not very pleasing. Give the gift of chocolate, but enjoy it as a treat, not a health food.
Toasted Coconut & Dark Chocolate Cookies
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup stick margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 350ᵒF. Place coconut in a small baking pan, in a single layer. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside to cool. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat brown sugar and margarine with a mixer until well blended. Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until combined. Stir in toasted coconut and chocolate. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto greased baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Remove from pan, and cool on wire racks.
Yield: about 20 cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 100 calories, 5 grams fat, 80 milligrams sodium, 14 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 1 gram protein
Sources:
Harvard T.H. Chang School of Public Health. Dark chocolate. https://bit.ly/3ZPutUE
Di Mattia, C. D., Sacchetti, G., Mastrocola, D., & Serafini, M. (2017). From Cocoa to Chocolate: The Impact of Processing on In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and the Effects of Chocolate on Antioxidant Markers In Vivo. Frontiers in immunology, 8, 1207. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01207
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenna Smith is a Nutrition and Wellness Educator with University of Illinois Extension, serving Livingston, McLean, and Woodford Counties. Smith uses her experience as a registered dietitian nutritionist to deliver impactful information and cutting-edge programs to Livingston, McLean, and Woodford Counties and beyond.