Chocolate every day: these are the consequences

Eating chocolate every day – sounds like a childhood dream. But what happens? What are the health risks and benefits? And does it make a difference what kind of chocolate you eat?

Chocolate is one of Germany’s favorite sweets: according to the Federal Statistical Office, the average amount consumed in 2023 was over 13 kilograms per person – a good 2.6 chocolate bars per week while enjoying slots.

Cocoa – the basis of chocolate – was used as a food and luxury food by the indigenous people of South America thousands of years ago. In Europe, cocoa, which is rather bitter by nature, was not initially well received and only became widespread when people began to use honey or sugar to sweeten it.

Incidentally, at the beginning of the 19th century, chocolate was sold in pharmacies as a tonic.

How chocolate is made

The production of chocolate is not that simple: first, the cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted, ground, de-oile,d and processed into cocoa mass. The cocoa mass is then mixed with sugar, cocoa butter, and, if necessary, dairy products and spices. This mass is finely ground with rollers so that the ingredients (especially the sugar crystals) are as fine as possible. The chocolate mass is then heated and grated in a conching machine. Finally, the mass is tempered and poured into molds.

What’s behind the different flavors?

According to the German Food Association, adults in Germany prefer to eat milk, nougat, and dark chocolate. The varieties differ in the amount of sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass ,and milk powder they contain. The Cocoa Ordinance states that

Milk chocolate must contain at least 25 percent total cocoa solids, 14 percent milk solids, 2.5 percent fat-free cocoa solids, and 3.5 percent milk fat.

Chocolate must contain at least 35 percent total cocoa solids, 18 percent cocoa butter, and 14 percent fat-free cocoa solids.

White chocolate is light because it contains no dark-colored cocoa powder, only cocoa butter. It must contain at least 20 percent cocoa butter and 14 percent milk solids.

The term dark or bittersweet chocolate is not defined in food law but is categorized as ‘chocolate’ in the Cocoa Ordinance. However, the percentage of cocoa in dark chocolate is usually stated on the packaging: the higher the percentage, the darker the chocolate and the less sugar it contains. Incidentally, dark chocolate is often vegan by nature.

What happens if you eat chocolate every day? The benefits

Important: The possible benefits mainly relate to dark chocolate with a high cocoa content and rather little sugar. Make sure you also read the following section on the risks. This is because they can cancel out some of the benefits.

Your mood improves: Dark chocolate in particular contains theobromine, a compound that can lift your mood and promote a sense of well-being. Chocolate also stimulates the production of endorphins, the so-called ‘happiness hormones’, which increase your sense of well-being.

Your heart health could be strengthened and your risk of cardiovascular disease reduced: Some studies suggest that the consumption of dark chocolate can have a beneficial effect on blood vessels and blood pressure. This effect is attributed in particular to the secondary plant substances (flavonoids) it contains.

Your mental performance is maintained: A 2016 study showed that consuming chocolate reduced the risk of cognitive decline in people over the age of 65.

Your risk of chronic diseases could decrease: Dark chocolate contains phytochemicals. These help to fight free radicals in the body and thus reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, a study from 2020 indicates that the scientific evidence is still insufficient.