Nutritionist’s Warning About Pure Chocolate: ‘It Has Its Trick’

He chocolate It is one of those foods that has a reputation for being a little negative for health. health if consumed in excess, due to their high sugar and fat content. Obesity, hypertension and diabetes are just some of the diseases commonly associated with the product.

To continue enjoying its flavor without completely giving up a healthy lifestyle, many people choose chocolate that contains more than 90% cocoa in its composition, also called pure or bitter chocolate.

According to a study published in Dutch Journal of MedicineChocolate with a high percentage of cocoa leaves a series of health benefits: it could reduce cholesterol levels, prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of vascular problems.

But beyond these benefits, nutritionist and pharmacist Boticaria García assures that the consumption of this product must be done with caution.

The above is because many indicate on their front label that it is “dark chocolate” or “pure chocolate” to capture the attention of consumers, and for this reason it is important to look at the back label before relying on the most prominent part. visible.

“Dark chocolate has its trick,” the expert commented on the Spanish program zap. “You have to turn the container over and look at the percentage of cocoa, because even if it says dark or pure chocolate, it does not have to contain a high percentage of cocoa, according to the legislation.”

Another fact to keep in mind, according to García, is that it is not mandatory to opt for a chocolate with a cocoa percentage very close to 100%, but rather an 85% chocolate is enough. In this case, it contains 14% sugars, which the expert considers a relatively moderate amount for consumers.

“However, no one should think that by eating 85% chocolate, you are eating something super healthy, because the rest is composed of 14% sugar,” concludes the nutritionist.