Is Chocolate Good For Your Heart? Here's What Science Says
Research on chocolate and heart health may look promising, but experts say the reality isn't so sweet
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- While some studies suggest eating chocolate benefits heart health, the research is largely inconclusive.
- Any potential heart-health boosts only apply to dark chocolate or cocoa extract—not milk or white chocolate.
- Still, experts say there’s nothing wrong with enjoying chocolate in moderation.
For hundreds of years, people have turned to chocolate to boost heart health. Back in the 1500s, the indigenous Aztec people consumed cocoa as a drink believed to treat various ailments, including angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.
These days, a quest to understand chocolate’s effects on heart health has led to scientific research on the subject. But while some studies have suggested that certain forms of chocolate may benefit heart health, they also come with fine print or have conflicting findings.
So, how can you assess the health impacts of your favorite treat? Ahead of Valentine’s Day, here’s what to know about the connection between chocolate and heart health.
Study Finds Surprising Health Benefit of Eating Dark Chocolate Every WeekA Focus on Cocoa
The star ingredient in chocolate is the seed from cacao trees. And these seeds—which are also often referred to as cocoa beans—are rich in plant compounds known as flavanols, a type of polyphenol linked to a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.
That’s why much research into chocolate’s effect on heart health has focused on either cocoa extract or dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao, which contains more flavanols than its milk and white chocolate counterparts. Some results have been promising.
In a commonly cited study called the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), researchers examined what happened when one group of more than 10,000 people took 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols for 3.6 years, and another similarly sized group took a placebo. The trial was randomized and double-blind, meaning the groups didn’t know which capsule they were taking.
Researchers found that the group taking the supplements had 27% fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease—though they also noted that the connection needs further exploration.
Another study from January 2024 suggested that for people of European ancestry, dark chocolate may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and venous thromboembolism, a condition that occurs when blood clots form in veins.
A research analysis from June also concluded that noshing on very dark chocolate—or taking cocoa capsules—may lower blood pressure (as well as cholesterol and fasting blood glucose) if done for at least a month.
But not all research findings have been positive. The COSMOS paper, for example, also found that cocoa extract didn’t significantly lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Moreover, the January study revealed that chocolate didn’t reduce the chances of 10 other cardiovascular problems, including stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and atrial fibrillation.
So, where does this leave consumers? There’s simply not enough conclusive evidence to know precisely how these products influence cardiovascular health, Samantha Coogan, RDN, a nutrition sciences professor and director of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Health.
The effects may vary from person to person. There are “anomalies, genetic variation, and/or lifestyle factors that may also play a role,” Coogan added.
What About Other Types of Chocolate?
While there’s some research into the connection between heart health and cocoa supplements or very dark chocolate, the effects of other chocolate types have been less studied.
But it’s even less likely that your standard chocolate candy would benefit the heart, Michelle Routhenstein, RD, a preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished, a virtual nutrition counseling and consulting private practice, told Health.
White chocolate doesn’t contain cocoa beans, and Routhenstein said that the beans that end up in dark and milk chocolate products typically undergo processes that can significantly lower their flavanol content. For example, one study found that fermentation or roasting during manufacturing can reduce the total amount of flavanols in cacao more than tenfold.
“As a result, [processed chocolate candy] does not typically offer the same heart-healthy benefits as cocoa in its unprocessed form,” Routhenstein explained.
Plus, chocolate candy—whether dark, milk, or white—contains sugar, fat, and calories, all of which can negatively affect the heart if overindulged in.
“Excessive consumption of any chocolate candy, particularly those high in added sugars and fats, like many commercially available chocolate candies, can contribute to high cholesterol levels and other health issues,” Routhenstein said.
Enjoy Chocolate in Moderation
Keep in mind that dark chocolate is not only “not a cure-all,” Coogan said, but it’s not even guaranteed “to benefit the cardiovascular system.”
That said, there’s nothing wrong with having a chocolate treat—as long as it’s in moderation and consumed alongside a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other healthy items, Majid Basit, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Medical Group, told Health. “Cardiovascular health is achieved with healthy foods, vigorous exercise, and proper sleep,” he noted.
Bottom line? Enjoy your chocolates because they taste good—not to protect your heart.
Jani Hall
Jani Hall is a news editor for Health with a background in health, science, and investigative reporting. Previously, she wrote full time about parenting issues for the app Parent Lab. Before that, she worked as a reporter for National Geographic covering wildlife crime and exploitation.
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This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Elizabeth Yuko, PhD
