I have heard that dark chocolate is healthy. Do you recommend eating dark chocolate everyday? How much is considered healthy?

It would be wonderful if chocolate were actually good for us—That way, we wouldn’t need to feel guilty polishing off a box of truffles!

Cocoa beans do contain flavanols, which have been linked to blood vessel and cardiovascular health. The majority of chocolate consumed is actually low in flavanols because flavanols make chocolate bitter, exactly what most candy makers are trying to avoid. There are high-quality dark chocolates available that do contain flavanols, but they also contain fat and sugar. (Flavanols are also found in purple grapes, red wine, apples, cranberries and certain teas.) 

Though it would be nice if we could trade in our vitamins for chocolate—I think it’s best to save chocolate for special occasions and get our flavanols from healthier food choices, such as apples, until research shows otherwise.