How Much Sugar Is in Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate: 8 reasons why it is so healthy

With dark chocolate, you can quietly save your bad conscience when snacking: because it is healthy, strengthens the heart, brain, and promotes blood circulation. 

Mmhhh, this enamel on the tongue, this full cocoa flavor – a piece of chocolate acts as a balm for the soul. But our body also benefits from this sweet treat and it is amazing how many positive effects chocolate actually has on us. Why you should definitely treat yourself to a piece of it more often...

Photo by Alleksana

Is dark chocolate actually healthier than milk chocolate?

Compared to the dark temptation, classic milk chocolate has a rather bad reputation, as it is unequally unhealthier than dark chocolate. In fact, this calculation does not quite work out: Dark chocolate contains less sugar compared to the more creamy milk chocolate – but due to the high proportion of fatty cocoa mass (from about 70 percent), the energy value of dark chocolate can be even higher, as a nutrition expert, Birthe Wulf explained to Edeka.

While milk chocolate has an average of around 535 kilocalories per 100 grams, the same amount of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% can even be around 580 kilocalories. 100 grams of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 85% or more has around 600 kilocalories and at 100% cocoa content it can become over 630 kilocalories per 100 grams of dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate lasts longer

So, how much sugar is in dark chocolate? However, it's not just the calories in the dark chocolate that matter when it comes to deciding which version of the candy is healthier. The remaining nutritional values in the chocolate should also be taken into account. 

For example, 100 grams of milk chocolate contains an average of 5 grams of protein and a proud 60 grams of sugar. The same amount of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 100% has only 0.6 grams of sugar and 12 grams of protein. 

That's why the tart dark chocolate remains the healthier option, as it satisfies the appetite for sweet or fatty things more quickly. Creamy bars provide energy only in the short term and do not saturate for so long, because they quickly lower blood sugar levels and send a hunger signal to the brain again. 

"When eating sugary white or milk chocolate, blood sugar levels rise very quickly. This inhibits fat loss and can trigger craving attacks," says Birthe Wulf. In the case of dark chocolate, on the other hand, the desire for calorie-containing foods only starts later. It increases and lowers blood sugar levels only slowly, which significantly reduces the risk of eating unnecessary calories.

Especially the plant substances contained in dark chocolate, such as flavonoids, which are present in significantly higher amounts than with milk chocolate, also have a positive effect on your organism. The following applies: The higher the cocoa content, the greater the effect – provided that the chocolate is enjoyed in moderation (about 20 grams per day).

But what are the health benefits of dark chocolate?

Dark chocolate protects the arteries

The plant substances contained in the cocoa beans dilate the vessels and ensure that the blood flows unhindered. If you suffer from arterial calcification (arteriosclerosis) and associated walking difficulties, dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content is therefore a good aid.

Eat them regularly, but you should limit the enjoyment of other sweets. At the same time, be sure to move sufficiently (for example by walking), and take dental care particularly seriously, as chocolate is easily stuck to the teeth. 

Dark chocolate lowers stroke risk

By improving the flexibility of the arteries and counteracting blood flow disorders, the Assmann Foundation for Prevention says that dark chocolate reduces the risk of stroke. Just a few pieces a day are enough. 

Another tip: Try the chocolate together with apples. Researchers have found that the peel of this fruit also contains an important plant substance that, in combination with dark chocolate, can break down blood clots and prevent a stroke. 

Dark chocolate reduces stress

Your body is playing crazy because you are exposed to an unpleasant stressful situation? Even then, dark chocolate is a small savior in need. Researchers from the Universities of Bern and Zurich concluded that chocolate with a high cocoa content inhibits the release of stress hormones and thus soothes the soul. 

If you want the chocolate to help at very short notice, take half a tablet of it and you will feel a lot more comfortable right away. If only everything were so simple!

Dark chocolate strengthens the heart

The flavonoids in dark chocolate can also help reduce the risk of a heart attack. As soon as the oxygen in the heart muscle decreases too much, these ingredients increase blood circulation and ensure better blood flow. They dilate the coronary vessels, even if they are calcified, and are therefore great support for your heart. 

Dark chocolate lifts the mood

That makes you happy! If your body lacks serotonin, the happiness hormone, the enjoyment of dark chocolate will bring you back into balance and provide a boost of good humor. 

However, this is probably less related to its ingredients: Although dark chocolate contains tryptophan, like many other protein-containing foods, and therefore stimulates serotonin formation, the concentration of tryptophan is probably too low to have conspicuous effects.

However, and this is no less crucial, many have had positive feelings with dark chocolate since childhood. After eating it, they automatically feel more comfortable years later when they eat chocolate.

Dark chocolate helps with iron deficiency

Who would have thought that there is much more iron in dark chocolate than, for example, in spinach: at a quantity of 100 grams each, chocolate contains about 7 milligrams, spinach only half. So if you want to improve your iron levels, you'd like to pick up on the dark temptation. Even one piece contributes to a percentage of the daily iron requirement.

Dark chocolate reduces cancer risk

In an Italian study, researchers found that the catechins contained in cocoa, which are also part of the flavonoids, strengthen our defenses, and even help protect against cancer. These plant substances bind toxins and thus reduce the risk of body cells being damaged and tumors forming. 

Dark chocolate strengthens memory

But that's not all: According to a study by Columbia University in New York, dark chocolate even leads to an improvement in brain performance, especially in older people. The substances contained in cocoa, in combination with sufficient movement can counteract oblivion, as they delay the mental degradation. 

So to keep your mental fitness going, you should regularly resort to dark chocolate – but always in moderation.

This also turns milk chocolate into a healthy treat

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a way for milk chocolate to have as many health benefits as dark chocolate – without compromising the delicious taste. 

The secret lies in the shell of the peanut: the phenolic compounds contained in it are pulled out and mixed in powder form of the light chocolate. As a result, the proportion of valuable antioxidants increases and is for the first time the same as with dark chocolate.

How practical: Since the non-edible peanut shells are previously a waste product of the nut industry, they would also benefit. Only allergy sufferers should leave their fingers on this milk chocolate – and continue to access darks.

Today, we know how much sugar is in dark chocolate. Enjoy and stay safe.