Is Chocolate Healthy For Kids?

What if I told you about a snack for kids that has been around for centuries and is considered by many to be a superfood? A superfood is a food that is a nutrient-dense and provides a vast array of health benefits. What superfood snack are we talking about?

Chocolate!

Not just any chocolate. Dark chocolate. We’re talking 85% or higher dark chocolate. The higher the better because that means you are getting more antioxidants for your child—and that means you are protecting your child’s brain, heart, skin, cells, DNA, and other organs. In short, antioxidants protect your child’s body from damage that may be caused from pollution, stress, trauma, toxins and sugar.

Sounds good, right? But that is not all.

In this day and age, the soil on which our food grows is not as mineral-rich as it was fifty years ago. This means that the mineral-content of the fruits and vegetables we consume is lower than before.

Enter dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate contains magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc—all in decent quantities starting with just one ounce of dark chocolate! This is very good news, as these minerals are needed in order for many functions in the body to properly occur.

Let’s look at a few of these minerals and their functions.

Magnesium is known as the calming mineral as it supports the adrenal glands and helps regulate the heart.

Potassium supports heart and kidney function.

Iron is needed for healthy blood production; it provides the body with energy.

Zinc is needed for a healthy immune system

Just remember to keep it dark chocolate. 85% and higher means hardly any sugar is added.

Tip: Try adding 2 or 3 dark chocolate squares to some hot water. Add some cashew milk and stevia, stir, and serve to your kids. You can also serve over ice!

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6950163/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465250/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3575938/