Benefits and beauty inside of dark chocolate
Enjoying a sweet chocolate treat without the dairy
Writer’s note: This copywriting post was written by Shamontiel and published on Zaabox’s blog. The original link (published in March 2019) no longer works. Although Zaabox’s Instagram page has been inactive since 2019, I still respect how much love the owner insisted on showing to melanin-rich women. Of note, the repurposed post has been slightly edited for tone, interlinking and style.
There’s something extra sexy and sultry about a moisturized, dark chocolate woman. Maybe she’s turning heads while dressed in fluorescent colors. Or, maybe it’s the spicy bronze or gold lips. We can spot her from across any room, and we admire her confidence.
But in order to keep that dark chocolate skin smooth and creamy, we have to be mindful of what goes into our bodies.
Quiet as it’s kept, healthy eating is not always about salads and veggie smoothie drinks. (We’re not knocking those though because they’re certainly good for digestion, eyes, hips and everything else.)
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But what may not get enough attention are the foods that may seem like guilty pleasures but are actually quite good for you too: dark chocolate.
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Yes, you read that right. Chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, is a health perk for a number of reasons. Here are a few.
Skip the stomach troubles, enjoy dairy-free chocolate
Lactose malabsorption (you may recognize this as “lactose intolerance”) is pretty common among melanin-rich folks. Approximately 75% of African-Americans do not get along well with dairy products and need alternatives. Unlike milk chocolate, solid dark chocolate generally has no milk products. Dark chocolate has 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. (Milk chocolate, on the other hand, has 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar and milk.)
Shopping Recommendation: Kosterina - Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar ~ Great for Sweet and Savory Entrees, Desserts, Fruit Smoothies
Milk chocolate may taste oh so good but feel oh so bad. Dark chocolate treats your body well and tastes delicious, too. Keep in mind, though, that some dark chocolate treats may sometimes have glorious fillings that are made with dairy, like cream cheese, so they aren't always 100% dairy-free.
Enjoy the sugar for less
While we may not like the bittersweet taste of cacao (the raw form of chocolate), it’s no surprise that cocoa (the heated version of cacao) is a hit. Milk chocolate and dark chocolate both come with a heavy dose of calories, but dark chocolate only has half as much sugar.
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So if you want to wind down after work with a few extra sweet treats, why not make them a wee bit healthier? (And if you’re down to try cacao, we recommend a smoothie of ice, bananas and almond milk in a big wine glass. The bananas bring out the sweetness that cacao is missing, and it tastes like an ice cold glass of chocolate milk.)
Having a heart-to-heart with dark chocolate
The verdict is still out on whether dark chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease and insulin levels. (Almonds, in this study, hit the jackpot though. So if you want to snack on a moderate amount of dark chocolate-covered almonds, this is the best of both worlds.)
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If nuts aren’t your thing (or you’re allergic), the good news is dark chocolate doesn’t increase cholesterol either. So if you want to snack on a moderate amount of dark chocolate-covered almonds to get the healthy perks and satisfy your sweet tooth, this is the best of both worlds.
As far as we’re concerned, dark chocolate makes everything better anyway. Don’t you agree?
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly post on the third Thursday.
If you’re not ready to subscribe but want to support my writing, you’re welcome to tip me for this post! I’ll buy a dark hot chocolate on you. Thanks for reading!