Lalita Kaul
Spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association
Tuesday, August 9, 2005
2:00 PM
Ben Harder, special to The Washington Post, reports in Tuesday's Washington Post (Junk-Food Science):
"Chocolate maker Mars Inc. says its pipeline is full of healthful products containing compounds from the plant that gives chocolate its unique flavor. Already, the company sells one cocoa bar that it claims has "proven heart-health benefits." The Hershey Co., meanwhile, plans to launch an "extra dark" chocolate bar this September that will flaunt its potentially beneficial cocoa content. Smaller chocolatiers tout the same ingredient in a growing portfolio of products.
"So: Chocolate is a proven health food?"
Lalita Kaul , a nutritionist at Howard University Medical School and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, was online Tuesday, August 9, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the health effects of chocolate.
A transcript follows.
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Anonymous: What effect does eating semi-sweet dark chocolate have when consuming a full size 4.5 oz. bar every day. Based on servings the following applies:
Serving size 10 blocks (40g.)
Total fat 13g.
Sat Fat 8 g.
Carbs 24 g.
Sugar 20 g.
Fiber 3g.
Lalita Kaul: The effect will depend on various factors--the consumption of total diet. If an individual has already taken recommended calories to maintain the present status, the extra calories from this bar will be stored as fat.
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Hollywood, Fla.: How much caffeine is there in raw cocoa beans? How much per 1-- GR as compared to coffee?
Lalita Kaul: Cocoa powder has about 0.1 g caffeine per 100g cocoa powder.
This is less than coffee.
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Arlington, Va.: What's the main difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate? Thanks.
Lalita Kaul: Protein from milk chocolate is more digestable form. If whole milk is used then there will be more fat content. Milk chocolate has slightly more calories, total fat. Milk chocolate has significantly high cholesterol., sodium, calcium
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Georgetown, Washington, D.C.: In today's article you were quoted as saying, "I wish there were some other ways to incorporate cocoa in our diet apart from confectionary products and desserts."
My feelings exactly. I feel that cocoa powder -- thanks for the note in the article about 'Dutch processing' removing flavonols -- is the key. For example, instead of using the traditional butter and cinnamon when roasting acorn squash, try adding a small amount of amaretto (or other liqueur, e.g., Godiva), and some cocoa powder. The recipe gets good reviews from those who try it, often even from people who normally do not like chocolate.
Another place I've used cocoa powder is in bread. Cocoa challa, anyone? Frankly, one reason some pumpernickel breads are brown is that they include cocoa in their recipes.
How do these sound to you? Do they give you some ideas on places to use cocoa in cooking?
washingtonpost.com: Cardiovascular nutritionist Penny Kris-Etherton of Pennsylvania State University -- who has received funding from the American Cocoa Research Institute, which is supported by Mars and others in the candy industry -- was quoted in Tuesday's article : "Given flavanols' potential benefits, she said, 'I wish there were some other ways to incorporate cocoa in our diet apart from confectionary products and desserts.'"
Lalita Kaul: I think it is a good idea. Only thing is that we have to be sure that flavinoids are not destroyed.
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Falls Church, Va.: Do you get more flavanols in the low-sugar or sugar-free dark chocolate bars? Would you recommend the bars with about 70% cocoa? (I think those also have less sugar.) And, would you also recommend the low-carb chocolate bars with soy crisps? I think the soy crisps add a nice texture as well as the presumed health benefits of soy beans. Thank you.
Lalita Kaul: Amount of flavnoids depends on the amount of cocoa powder in the chocolate. cocoa powder has 34g total fiber per 100gcocoa powder, and 16g complex carbohydrate. Adding sovbean chips will make it very healthy.
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Washington, D.C.: There is clearly a lot of fat in a chocolate bar, but what about hot chocolate? Is there a way to fix a cup of hot chocolate to maximize the health benefits and minimize the fat and cholesterol?
Lalita Kaul: research has shown that cocoa butter does not raise cholesterol because of the neutal effects of stearic acid on blood cholesterol levels. You can make a chocolate drink healthy by making it with skim milk. This way you can get protein and calcium.
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Suffering: Unfortunately, too much chocolate gives me heartburn. I got no sympathy from my doctor.
Lalita Kaul: You can eat chocolate in moderation and eat it after a meal. I hope this suggestion helps you.
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Buffalo, N.Y.: What I understand is that the vaunted health benefits are from dark chocolate. How dark is dark? For instance, does the hershey semi sweet qualify as dark chocolate? how does one know?
Thanks.
Lalita Kaul: It depends on the amount of solid cocoa which gives it dark color. Label should indicate this.
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Tucson, Ariz.: I absolutely hate chocolate, weird, I know, but I get absolutely sick to my stomach when I smell milk or dark chocolate. I do, however, like white chocolate. Does white chocolate have the same health benefits?
Lalita Kaul: Milk chocolate may not give you as much flavnoid as dark chocolate but it will give you protein and calcium.
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Auburn, Washington: Chocolate has health benefits, from what I've been hearing. I appreciate the varieties of chocolate bars that have less sugar and are dark. Do those types of bars have better health effects for people than the sugary milk chocolate varieties? Are the health benefits from the "good" types giving the entire chocolate industry good press, even though most varieties of available chocolate products aren't really good for us?
Lalita Kaul: In moderation dark chocolates with less sugar are ok.
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Quito, Ecuador, South America: What is the chocolate influence in the lipid profile?
Lalita Kaul: Chocolate does not increase cholesterol because stearic acid in the chocolate blocks this effect.
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Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: I'm quite a fan of very dark chocolate, 70 percent cacao at least. It is very expensive. Is there a source for it that is not so expensive? I shop at Whole Foods usually.
Lalita Kaul: You can look in other stores where you can get it cheaper.
I find that sometimes health food stores are more expensive.
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Lalita Kaul: Thank you very much. I enjoyed answering your questions.
Lalita Kaul, PhD, RD,LDN
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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.