Chocolate healthier than green tea?

Chocolate contains up to four times the anti-oxidants found in tea.
Sound too good to be true? In fact, that was the conclusion of a recent study by Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment. Researchers found that chocolate - specifically dark chocolate - contains 5305 mg if catechins per 3.5 oz (Catechins are powerful anti-oxidants that help prevent against cancer and heart disease). By contrast, 3.5 oz of black tea countains a mere 13.9 mg of catechins.


Eating chocolate to stay healthy?
Well, why not? Scientists have established that there are important health benefits to be gained from drinking red wine, so why not chocolate as well? But I would not trade a morning cup of tea for a box of truffles just yet. The amount of cocoa powder in chocolates may be quite small. Chocolates often contain other ingredients, such as saturated fats, that more than overweigh the health benefits to be gained from cocoa's cancer fighting chemicals.


More importantly, the Dutch researchers were not comparing chocolate to green tea, which is rich in catechins. Furthermore, evidence is mounting that scientists have only began to discover the numerous health benefits associated with drinking green tea. Still, a cup of green tea with a chocolate biscuit or a piece of dark chocolate sounds like a great way to begin the day!


This is great news since we are approaching "Chocolate Day", aka 'Valentine's Day'. By the way check out these healthy temptations!



(-- Kaiser Permanente - Thrive News)