One of the most common myths about nutrition is that bitter chocolate is good for health. Scientific studies have attributed dark chocolate to beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, improved blood circulation, aid in coping with autoimmune diseases and more recently researchers have reported that it also improves mental functioning. Ostensibly, this is indeed ideal food.

Here are some of the most prevalent beliefs about dark chocolate:



But there is a problem with these studies - they were fully funded by the chocolate maker Mars. It turns out that the snack company, as well as Nestle, which is engaged in the same field of production, operates special research centers for the study of cocoa and its effects on human health. Manufacturers are funding research on this issue at universities around the world. The website of the Mars Center for Cocoa Research claims that the company has funded some 140 scientific studies that have undergone the rigorous scientific screening of peer review and published in respected scientific journals.



These facts raise a number of ethical and fundamental questions: If chocolate is not really good for health, how did the scientists publish their research in respected journals? And if it's healthy, why should chocolate makers invest so much money and support scientific research to prove it? How is it that almost all the studies funded by these companies show a positive contribution of chocolate to human health? Are there objective studies on the effect chocolate has on our health?

The answers to these questions are complex.

Flavonoids

Cocoa beans, like other fruit and vegetables, contain flavanols, which are antioxidants that contribute to cardiovascular health. They are probably the main reason why it is so healthy to eat fruit and vegetables.