Chocolate is a delicious dessert liked by most people. Besides its great taste, chocolate, especially dark chocolate has many health benefits, when consumed in moderation:
- contains minerals and antioxidants
- lowers bad cholesterol level
- improves blood flow and helps to lower blood pressure
- good for your heart
- give you energy
- enhances mood, makes you more alert
However, there are people who cannot eat chocolate or should minimize their consumption. The reason for this is usually some kind of a health problem that prevents these people from enjoying the tastiness of a chocolate bar.
Let’s see what the most common health conditions are when chocolate should be avoided!
Food allergy and intolerance
Chocolate has some ingredients, that might cause allergic reactions or digestive problems for some.
The most common problematic ingredients are:
- cocoa
- milk
- soy
- sugar
- nuts
Since chocolate comes in many flavors with many ingredients, make sure to check all ingredients if you have a food allergy.
Common symptoms of allergic reactions are itchy eyes, hives, and a runny nose. Sometimes allergy can cause more serious symptoms, like swollen lips and tongue, breathing difficulties. Anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction, which requires immediate medical help.
Food intolerance usually causes stomach cramps and other digestive problems, like diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, etc.
Diabetes
We all know that people with diabetes should not consume sugar. Milk chocolate is indeed not recommended for diabetics, however dark chocolate with high cocoa content might be beneficial for them.
This study found that about an ounce of dark chocolate a day improved triglyceride levels and decrease blood pressure with no impact on weight or insulin resistance.
Acid reflux
There is a muscle between the stomach and the food pipe – called lower esophageal sphincter or LES -, which acts as a one-way valve and prevents stomach contents from seeping back into the food pipe. However, if this valve is not tight enough, stomach acids might flow up into the esophagus. This condition is called acid reflux.
People with acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) should limit their chocolate consumption. Such people might experience chest pain or stomach cramps after eating chocolate.
The reason for this is that chocolate might lower LES pressure, which opens up the way for stomach contents to flow up into the food pipe.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Fat and sugar are a big no-no for people with IBS. Since chocolate, especially milk chocolate, contains quite a bit from both, it is recommended for people with IBS to steer clear of chocolate.
Common sugar substitutes, such as sorbitol and xylitol also tend to cause symptoms for people with IBS.
People with IBS usually can tolerate a small amount of chocolate, however the more you eat, the higher the chances of experiencing symptoms.
If you plan to eat chocolate with IBS, choosing dark chocolate might be a good idea. It looks like that the cocoa in dark chocolate promotes the growth of good gut bacteria, which might help people with IBS.
