Is Chocolate a Vegetable?

You’ve heard that red wine may fight heart attacks … thanks partly to the antioxidant it contains. Now wine chemists at the University of California at Davis reveal that chocolate contains these same antioxidants – called flavonoids! In fact, a 1.5-oz. milk chocolate bar has the same quantity of flavonoids as a 5-oz. glass of cabernet sauvignon (Lancet, September 21, 1996). We regret to report, however, that researcher Andrew Waterhouse, Ph.D., says chocolate will never be a health food.

In spite of its flavonoids, chocolate is too high in fat and empty calories to be heart smart. But Dr. Waterhouse also found flavonoids in cocoa powder (chocolate with most of the fat removed). In fact, 1 cup of hot chocolate made with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder has about 75% of the flavonoids in a glass of red wine. Make hot chocolate with skim milk, and you get a nice big splash of calcium and vitamin D, almost no fat … and at least a few fightin’ flavonoids.

Tip: Definitely the healthiest way to fill up on flavonoids – eat lots of fruits and vegetables

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