Chocolate, love and romance are part of our Valentine celebration. As I stare at my heart shaped Valentine box full of chocolates, there are enough pieces to last me a month. Every day, I can choose one of those mystery pieces and be reminded of my husband’s love. Biting into one chocolate activates my senses. The brain chemicals of serotonin and endorphins are released, making me feel happy. Dopamine is also released making me feel pleasure. And oxytocin, involved in social bonding, is also in play. This chemical cocktail makes chocolate an enjoyable eating experience.

And who doesn’t like chocolate? Especially when you add flowers to the mix. It’s a winning combination! Whether it is Valentine’s Day, a birthday, Christmas or any day, chocolate is part of our celebration. Even during noncelebratory times, we treat ourselves to this convection. Trader Joe’s has my go-to chocolate snack- those frozen banana pieces covered in dark chocolate called Go Bananas! When the supply chain was a big problem, Go Bananas was gone from the shelves, but I discovered the equally good, frozen chocolate-covered strawberries. I mean, you just can’t go wrong with these yummy snacks.

But chocolate is more than a yummy snack. Cocoa found in chocolate is actually a fermented product made from the bean of the cacao tree. It is a rich source of favor-3-ols found also in almonds and hazelnuts. So add a few nuts to your chocolate and really get the benefit!

As good as chocolate tastes, it does have health benefits.  A little chocolate every day is good for you and here is why. Chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties and can protect nerves from injury. In fact, a large randomized study (COSMOS), actually found a 10% lower rate of total cardiovascular events in older adults who took a form of chocolate coca extract (500mg) daily for over 3.6 years. Specifically, cardiovascular disease death rates were reduced by 27%. Additionally, cocoa in topical preparations in sunscreen can protect the skin from oxidative damage from UV radiation. Overall, chocolate impacts satiety, cognitive function, and mood.

So go ahead, lose the guilt. Those antioxidants in chocolate are good for you! Of course, all in moderation. A small piece a day is not going to add weight gain. but it may support your heart health and memory. Yes, memory…Researchers at Harvard suggest 2 cups of hot chocolate a day to keep the brain healthy and reduce memory decline in older people. Now, that is tasty medicine we could all handle.

Source: Katz DL, Doughty K, Ali A. Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2011 Nov 15;15(10):2779-811. doi: 10.1089/ars.2010.3697. Epub 2011 Jun 13. PMID: 21470061; PMCID: PMC4696435.