Dark chocolate is considered the healthiest because it contains less sugar and its cocoa content usually ranges from 55% to 70%. Milk, and especially white chocolate, is considered the least healthy because the ratio varies; less cocoa, more sugar. Margarita Amelichkina, gastroenterologist at INVITRO, told socialbites.ca.
“If you need to reduce your calorie intake, sweet chocolate can be a good alternative. However, it is not recommended to consume too much of these sweeteners due to their side effects; “For example, the sugar substitute sorbitol can cause bloating, nausea and diarrhea if consumed in excess,” he added.
According to the doctor, it is not recommended to consume more than 30 grams of dark chocolate or more than 15-20 grams of milk chocolate a day.
“With regular overconsumption, there is a risk of exceeding the amount of sugar and saturated fat in the diet, which over time can lead to excessive weight gain, the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease,” Amelichkina said.
Chocolate is also not recommended for children under 3 years of age, people with diabetes, and people allergic to chocolate. With caution, without exceeding the recommended doses, chocolate can be consumed by people with hypertension (due to its caffeine content), people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, and people for whom this product causes symptoms such as heartburn.
“There is also evidence that if you have gout, it is better to limit the amount of chocolate in your diet due to its purine content. Accordingly, you can replace chocolate with caffeine-free and purine-free desserts (marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows and similar) or use chocolate sugar substitutes to reduce the number of calories.” he concluded.
Previously in a confectionery factory warnedthat manufacturers will abandon dark chocolate.