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The medical facts about chocolate Sinful. Naughty. Indulgent. In truth, chocolate isn't half as bad as most people believe. One of BUPA's assistant medical directors, Dr Paula Franklin, gives us the medical view.
Does chocolate give you spots and make you fat?Chocolate does not give you spots - but it can make you fat. Research has shown that eating chocolate neither causes or aggravates spots or acne. The cause of spots is far more likely to be either hormonal or simply a matter of skin hygiene. This myth may have begun when people wrongly linked adolescent spots caused by the onset of puberty, with teenagers' appetite for chocolate. If you eat large quantities of chocolate and don't burn off the extra calories - it will make you fat. A typical bar of chocolate might contain 220 calories, about 40 per cent of which come from fat. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, which contains saturated fat. Too much saturated fat can lead to unwanted weight gain, as well as other health problems such as heart disease. Interestingly there is evidence that cocoa butter does not raise blood cholesterol. Milk chocolate contains milk-derived butterfat in addition to cocoa butter, so it is probably better to choose dark chocolate if you are watching your weight. Eating a moderate amount of chocolate as part of an otherwise healthy and balanced diet, should cause you no undue problems.  Can diabetics eat chocolate?Diabetics can eat chocolate: it is not always necessary to buy special 'diabetic' versions. For people with diabetes the most important thing is to follow the diet that has been planned for you with your dietician. If you would like to include chocolate in your diet - talk to your dietician. Is it an aphrodisiac?Unlikely! Chocolate is estimated to contain up to 300 different chemicals, many of which may be mood-altering. One of the chemicals is phenylethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that allegedly stimulates the same reaction in the body as the feeling of falling in love. Some theories claim that chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, which give a sense of pleasure or pain. However, there is no conclusive evidence that chocolate has any effect on human emotions. The effect of chocolate on our mood is most likely to be psychological - it tastes good and feels good in our mouths. Why do women with PMS seem to crave chocolate?The symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) vary from woman to woman. Some women have emotional symptoms and cravings, while others have physical symptoms such as constipation or diarrhoea, breast tenderness and water retention. For those women who crave chocolate, there is no evidence to suggest that chocolate 'cures' or 'remedies' PMS - the most likely reason women want it, is because it tastes nice and makes them feel good (see Is it an aphrodisiac? for why chocolate might make us feel good). But, it's not just pre-menstrual women who crave chocolate: many people fancy a bar if they are anxious, depressed, tense or angry. This could be 'learned behaviour', carried over from childhood, when chocolate is commonly used as a reward or to pacify. More information about combating PMS. Is chocolate a drug?Chocolate is not addictive. However, there are some similarities between chocolate and marijuana. The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California wrote that 'chocolate contains pharmacologically active substances that have the same effect on the brain as marijuana.' In theory you could get high from chocolate, but we certainly do not advise trying - mainly because you'd probably have to consume about 25lb in one go! Chocolate contains some stimulants as well, caffeine being the most obvious, as well as a small quantity of theobromine which is a weak stimulant. The combination of these and phenylethylamine (which is related to amphetamines) may provide the lift that many chocolate eaters experience. I've heard that chocolate is bad for dogs - is this true?Chocolate can be lethal to dogs. The theobromine stimulant also causes chocolate's toxicity. It's thought that about two ounces of milk chocolate can be poisonous for a 10lb puppy - so always buy the special veterinary approved varieties. Facts and figures
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