Recent Blog Articles
Gun violence: A long-lasting toll on children and teens
Adult female acne: Why it happens and the emotional toll
Talking to your doctor about your LGBTQ+ sex life
Untangling grief: Living beyond a great loss
Thunderstorm asthma: Bad weather, allergies, and asthma attacks
Heart problems and the heat: What to know and do
I’m too young to have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, right?
Period equity: What it is and why it matters
Back pain: Will treatment for the mind, body—or both—help?
Colon cancer screening decisions: What’s the best option and when?
Men's Health
Should I add cocoa powder to my diet?
Ask the doctor
Q.
Many doctors and nutritionists recommend eating dark chocolate in moderation, and I’ve heard I should look for bars that are 70% cacao. But wouldn’t it be easier to just add a teaspoon of 100% unsweetened cocoa powder into my morning coffee?
A. It’s a reasonable question, especially since one of the common caveats about eating chocolate bars is that they typically contain considerable amounts of sugar, fat, and calories. The potential health-promoting compounds found in chocolate include a category known as flavanols. These compounds are abundant in many plants, including cocoa beans, which are the seeds of the cacao tree. Diets high in flavanols have been linked to improved cardiovascular health, possibly by relaxing blood vessels (which lowers blood pressure) and improving blood sugar control (which may help prevent diabetes).
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…
The Diet Review: 39 popular nutrition and weight-loss plans and the science (or lack of science) behind them
You have tremendous latitude in what goes into your daily diet—and the choices you make can have profound consequences for your health. But what diet should you choose? The range is truly dizzying. Just some of the diets you might encounter are vegan, pegan, and portfolio. Raw food, whole foods, and Whole 30. Keto, carnivore, and paleo. Clean eating and intermittent fasting. DASH, MIND, and Volumetrics. Mediterranean, Nordic, and Okinawan. What does it all mean? And how can you begin to make sense of it? This Special Health Report is here to help.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
