Buying and storing tips

High-quality chocolate contains a high percentage of cocoa solids. It is brown or dark brown in color, and is glossy. Avoid purchasing chocolate that has a grayish tone, white spots on the surface, or small holes.

Wrapped tightly and protected from humidity and temperature variations, chocolate will keep for several months. It is best stored at room temperature (approximately 65°F, or 18°C). It can also be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer, but doing so may cause a whitish film to appear on the chocolate’s surface, due to the resurfacing of cocoa butter. Although this does not alter the flavor of the chocolate, it adversely affects its appearance.

Availability

Chocolate is available nearly everywhere. Most grocery stores sell chocolate and cocoa powder products required in most recipes, as well as chocolate candy, ice cream, and baked goods. Handmade candies and truffles can be purchased at specialty stores.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Cocoa and chocolate are used primarily in desserts (cakes, cookies, puddings, ice cream, mousses, tarts) and candies. However, in Spanish and Mexican cuisine, chocolate is used to flavor sauces for seafood and poultry.

Cocoa and chocolate are, in most instances, easy to use in cooking and baking. However, when melting chocolate, be sure to keep its temperature under 120°F (49°C), because overheating will alter its flavor. In addition, to avoid clumping, don’t let the melting chocolate come into contact with water. For best results when melting chocolate, break it into small pieces and heat it gently in an uncovered double boiler, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Highlights

Chocolate, 1 bar (sweet, candy) (1.45 oz.) (41g)
Calories: 207
Protein: 1.6g
Carbohydrate: 24.4g
Total Fat: 14g
Fiber: 2.2g
*Good source of: Magnesium (46mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source�?of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source�?of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.

Health benefits and concerns

Acne vulgaris

Many people assume certain aspects of diet are linked to acne, but there isn’t much evidence to support this idea. For example, preliminary research found that chocolate was not implicated as a cause of acne. In a preliminary study, foods that patients believed triggered their acne failed to cause problems when tested in a clinical setting.

Allergies

A low-allergen diet, also known as an elimination diet, is often recommended to people with suspected food allergies in order to find out if avoiding common allergen foods gives relief from symptoms. This diet eliminates foods and food additives considered to be common allergens, including chocolate.

Alzheimer’s disease

Whether aluminum in the diet can cause Alzheimer’s disease remains controversial. A preliminary study found that people with Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to have consumed foods high in aluminum additives (e.g., chocolate pudding or beverages), compared to people without the disease. Until this issue is resolved, it seems prudent for healthy people to take steps to minimize their exposure to this unnecessary and potentially toxic metal by reducing intake of foods containing aluminum additives.

Anxiety

People with high levels of anxiety appear to be more susceptible to the actions of caffeine than are people who do not experience high levels of anxiety. Therefore, people with high levels of anxiety should avoid all sources of caffeine, including chocolate.

Cold sores

The herpes simplex virus has a high requirement for the amino acid, arginine. On the other hand, lysine inhibits viral replication. Therefore, a diet that is low in arginine and high in lysine might help prevent the herpes simplex virus from replicating. A number of studies have shown that increasing lysine intake can reduce the recurrence rate of cold sores. Although people with herpes simplex infections reportedly consume about the same amount of arginine and lysine in their diet as do people without cold sores, it is conceivable that adjusting the intake of these amino acids might be beneficial. For that reason, many doctors advise people with cold sores to avoid foods with high arginine-to-lysine ratios, including chocolate.

Female infertility

While not every study finds that caffeine reduces female fertility, many doctors recommend that women trying to get pregnant avoid all sources of caffeine (including chocolate).

Fibrocystic breast disease (FBD)

Long-term and complete avoidance of caffeine, of which chocolate is a source, reduces symptoms of FBD. The decrease in breast tenderness can take six months or more to occur after caffeine is eliminated. Breast lumpiness may not go away, but the pain often decreases.

Gastritis

Caffeine consumption increases stomach acid. Avoiding substances containing caffeine, including chocolate, should therefore aid in the healing of gastritis.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Conventional treatment includes the recommendation to avoid chocolate. Chocolate abnormally relaxes the lower part of the esophagus, which can allow the acidic contents of the stomach to reflux into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Hives

Allergy to foods and food additives is a common cause of hives, especially in chronic cases. Chocolate is among the foods reported to trigger hives most often. Numerous clinical studies demonstrate that diets that are free of foods or food additives that commonly trigger allergic reactions typically produce significant reductions in symptoms in 50 to 75 percent of people with chronic hives. People with hives should investigate the possibility that food allergies are causing their problem by consulting with a doctor.

Hypertension

Although coffee drinking can cause small increases in blood pressure, the effects on blood pressure of long-term avoidance of caffeine from chocolate remain unclear.

Insomnia

Caffeine is a stimulant. The effects of caffeine can last up to 20 hours, so some people will have disturbed sleep patterns even when their last cup of coffee was in the morning. Since chocolate contains caffeine, people with insomnia should include chocolate on their list of foods to avoid.

Kidney stones

Increasing dietary oxalate can lead to an increase in urinary oxalate excretion. Increased urinary oxalate increases the risk of stone formation. As a result, most doctors agree that kidney stone formers should reduce their intake of oxalate from food as a way to reduce urinary oxalate. Many foods contain oxalate; however, only a few—including chocolate—appear to significantly increase urinary oxalate levels.

Liver cirrhosis

Some people with cirrhosis of the liver or impaired bile flow (such as in Wilson’s disease or primary biliary cirrhosis) have an excess amount of copper in the liver. If laboratory tests confirm copper excess, most doctors recommend the avoidance of foods rich in copper (such as chocolate), along with medical treatment to reduce copper stores.

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Copyright © 2004 Healthnotes, Inc.  All rights reserved.  www.healthnotes.com

The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires January 2005.