Is Chocolate healthier than green tea?

"Chocolate contains up to four times the anti-oxidants found in tea." Sound too good to be true? In fact, that was the conclusion of a recent study by Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment. Researchers found that chocolate - specifically dark chocolate - contains 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 grams. (Catechins are the powerful anti-oxidants that fight against cancer-causing cells and help prevent heart disease). By contrast, 100 ml of black tea contains a mere 13.9 mg of catechins.

The Chocolate Paradox?

Eating chocolate to stay healthy? Well, why not? Scientists have established that there are important health benefits to be gained from drinking red wine, so why not chocolate as well? But I wouldn't trade my morning cup of tea for a box of truffles just yet.

For one thing, as Karen Allen points out in a report for the BBC, the amount of actual cocoa powder contained in chocolates may be quite small. Chocolates often contain other ingredients, such as saturated fats, that more than outweigh the health benefits to be gained from cocoa's cancer-fighting chemicals.

More importantly, the Dutch researchers were not comparing chocolate to green tea, which is rich in catechins. Furthermore, evidence is mounting that scientists have only begun to discover the numerous health benefits associated with drinking green tea. Still, a cup of green tea with a chocolate biscuit or a piece of dark chocolate sounds like a great way to begin the day!

Update: Recent clinical studies examining the effectiveness of green tea supplements were based on the assumption that 14 cups of green tea contain 400 - 600 mg of catechins. At the low end, that would mean each cup contains just over 28 mg per cup, while at the high end, a cup of green tea would have approximately 42 mg of catechins. So, dark chocolate may actually contain more anti-oxidants than green tea.

The Asian Connection

Traditionally, Asia has not been known for its high level of chocolate consumption. This isn’t surprising, since the cacao tree is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America (although Filipinos have been able to enjoy their own homemade version of powdered chocolate since the Spanish introduced the cacao tree to the Philippines in the 16th century). However, things are changing. Chocolate consumption in China has increased by forty percent since 1992. And in 1997 Bernard Callebaut, the famous chocolate manufacturer, felt confident enough of Asians' fondness for chocolate to open a factory in Singapore. As a concession to Asian tastes the chocolate is less sweet; it also has a higher melting point.

In 2005, the Beijing Hyatt hosted a chocolate fashion show, where the models were draped in “clothing” made from different types of chocolate (Source: the Asian Times). While chocolate consumption is still much lower in China than in Europe or North America, the market is growing steadily, as the Chinese develop a taste for the sweet treat.