The truth about our favorite treats

There has been a lot of talk lately about two of our favorite foods: chocolate and red wine. There is new research and evidence that these two timeless favorites are really good for us. But while there is some merit in those studies, that doesn’t mean you should start sipping wine and sipping Snickers bars. Here, we look at the truth behind our favorite treats.

A delight for chocolate lovers … or not?

Certainly, there is a rumor in the media about the health benefits of dark chocolate. What makes chocolate healthy is a component of cocoa called flavanol. While all cocoa is created high in flavanol, it is primarily the processing of natural cocoa solids into cocoa powder or confectionery chocolate that determines whether an end product is flavanol rich or poor.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of variability in chocolate processing, making it difficult to know how much flavanol is left in an average chocolate bar. Due to the high content of saturated fat and calories in chocolate, if you love chocolate, consume it in moderation.

Some experts also say that those health benefits are only found in dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or more. Most processed milk chocolates don’t have anywhere near that amount, so if you’re going to eat chocolate, make sure it’s high-quality and high in cocoa.

Come, vidi, did you come?

You may have heard that red wine can be good for your heart health. Like chocolate, it is still unknown whether the health benefit of red wine outweighs the negative effect of the extra calories and alcohol. Wine is high in calories. At 5 oz. A glass of red wine has about 120 calories, which means it doesn’t take many glasses to add pounds to your waistline.

If you love red wine, drink it in moderation, no more than one to two glasses per day (with a maximum of nine per week) for women and no more than two glasses per day (with a maximum of 14 per week) for the men. . If you don’t normally drink alcohol, don’t start drinking to reap the health benefits, as other foods can provide similar heart health benefits.