Expert names the safest and healthiest type of chocolate

Chocolate is not only a delicious, sweet treat but also a healthy product. Experts recommend eating it in moderation and only if it is dark and bitter. It is worth noting that chocolate can be the basis for making pies, cakes, icing, drinks, homemade sweets, and even meat sauces.

Nutritionist Svitlana Fus shared what kind of chocolate is the healthiest and how much of it you can eat per day on Instagram.

The expert noted that it is best to eat dark chocolate, the advantage of which is that it has beneficial properties that are not found in milk and white chocolate.

"Another advantage of dark, high-quality chocolate is that it's harder to eat in excessive quantities because it's bitter and it contains less sugar," Fus explained.

How to determine the quality of chocolate

"It is known that the quality of chocolate is determined by the percentage of cocoa it contains. Plain chocolate contains 20% cocoa, while high-quality chocolate contains 70% to 90%," the expert said.

Fus added that the higher the percentage of cocoa in chocolate, the healthier it is because it contains many of the most important substances for which chocolate is worth eating: flavanols. There are more of them in cocoa beans than in other foods, fruits, or vegetables.

"Natural flavanols are unique substances that have a powerful antioxidant effect. It is the flavanols contained in chocolate that help regulate cholesterol levels and strengthen the cardiovascular system. In addition, they prevent skin aging. Other components contained in cocoa beans have a positive effect on mood, are effective in fighting inflammation and also slow down the aging process!" the expert explained.

How many calories are there in chocolate

"You should know that chocolate is a high-calorie product. Any kind of chocolate contains at least 500 calories per 100 grams. This is three times more than meat, which has 170 calories and twice as much as bread, which has 250 calories. However, consumption in a limited amount - 25 g per day - will not significantly affect the calorie content of the diet and will not cause changes in the weight of an adult. Still, it will provide the body with the necessary substances, antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease and maintain healthy blood vessels," Fus says.

The expert summarized that it is better to eat chocolate in the morning, and the best chocolate is dark one, made from natural ingredients.