Chocolate Vs Green Tea - Which Offers You More?

Chocolate has always enjoyed a comfortable spot on most people's list of favorite foods and desserts. This is why recent studies on chocolates are focused on the health benefits of this "food of the gods." According to researchers chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea. There are more than 300 chemicals found in chocolate that have different health benefits. One of these is flavonoids (also called flavonols) which found in gourmet chocolates. Flavonols is a type of polyphenol antioxidant which helps reduce risks of cardiovascular diseases. Another element found in chocolate that is similar to tea is called cathechins which is a primary bioflavinoid antioxidant. Cathechins is found to help reduce risks of heart attack and cancer as well as help repair damaged blood vessels by reducing inflammation.

Green tea, on the other hand, is the most consumed beverage worldwide next to water. It is classified under unfermented natural tea leaf and can either be steamed or dried. All teas come from one basic plant which is called the Camellia Sinensis plant. Teas differ according to how this plant is processed. To create green tea out of the Camellia Sinensis, the leaves are slightly withered and rapidly heated to produce teas that have lower caffeine and more subtle flavors. This kind of tea produces a greenish-gold drink. However, is chocolate healthier than green tea or vice-versa?

According to studies on the health benefits of chocolate, upon using special analytical techniques to test the antioxidant content of different beverages, they found out that the antioxidant concentration found in cocoa drink is twice as strong than that of red wine, twice or even thrice as strong than that of green tea, and four to five times stronger than that of black tea. You have the option to drink chocolate any way you want, but experts emphasize that it is better to drink hot cocoa than cold cocoa. Your body will more likely absorb the nutrients and antioxidants from chocolates when you drink hot cocoa. However, the value of antioxidants in chocolate is much higher than those found in raw cacao.

Comparing the catechins from chocolate and green tea, researchers have found that dark chocolate contains 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 grams while green tea contains 28 mg to 42 mg of catechins. This indicates that chocolates are healthier than green tea. However, if you choose to take your daily dose of antioxidants from chocolates, experts say that it is better to go with the drinkable stuff. They say that a 40-gram bar of plain chocolate contains around 8 grams of saturated fat compared to 0.3 grams in a cup of hot cocoa. So sip some chocolate and feel good about what you are doing for your body!

About the Author
Shannon O'Hara has been an entrepreneur for the last 10 years. She has a number of business ventures primarily in travel and food industries. Passionate about family, travel and chocolate - Shannon lives in the Mid-Atlantic so that she can see the ocean every day! Want to know the difference between dark chocolate vs. green tea?