Chocolate: Consuming Massive Quantities Daily For A Year With No Issues

[SOMO]

For the last year, I've been eating a lot of chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate liquor, as well as cocoa nibs.
The good news is that I seem to have suffered no ill-effects . My skin has always been acne-prone and there has been no negative (or positive) change in my skin since I began consuming large quantities of chocolate. Chocolate is sometimes associated with acne breakouts, but that has not been my experience. Chocolate is possibly Dopaminergic and increases dopamine, and when I eat chocolate I do feel a sense of mental pleasure and cerebral happiness, possibly indicating a slight elevation in dopamine.

Issues I believe exist with chocolate:

1. Fermentation
ALL chocolate is fermented. No exceptions.
"Raw" chocolate is a scam and if you look online for raw chocolate you will not find any.

Raw cocoa pods/seeds are inedible and largely flavorless. In order for the flavor to develop, the cocoa pods have to be fermented in open-air wooden containers. Bacteria break down the fibrous outer coating of cocoa and develop the flavor.

Fermented foods can possibly increase risk of gastric cancers as seen in some Asian countries like Korea where Kim Chi (fermented cabbage + capsaicin-peppers). As someone that LOVES sauerkraut, kombucha, beet kvass, kefir, etc. this was a major disappointment. I now limit these foods to some degree.
Gastric Cancer Epidemiology in Korea

2. Mold/mycotoxins.
Even with quality-controlled fermentation, most cocoa is processed outdoors, possibly introducing mold and/or mycotoxins into the final products. From what I understand of the chocolate manufacturing process, the cocoa is roasted before or after fermentation, killing most of the organisms. Even after the roasting stage, chocolate is later melted and heated. Generally the temperature is high enough to kill most pathogenic organisms and the possible mold issues have been acknowledged by the cocoa industry for many decades. I have faith that major chocolate manufacturers (Ghiradelli, Lindt, Hershey, etc.) have industry best-practices in place to avoid mycotoxins.

3. Lecithin
Lecithin is used an emulsifier in many chocolates, and most often this is Soy Lecithin or Sunflower Lecithin. (I personally believe there is no difference between Soy Lecithin, Egg Lecithin and Sunflower Lecithin.)
Lecithin increases absorption and adherence of PUFAs to Red Blood Cells (RBCs). This is probably only an issue if you're consuming lots of PUFAs, but...chocolate is often MIXED with PUFA-heavy nuts (chocolate+almond, chocolate+pecan, chocolate+peanut butter, etc. etc.) making the emulsifier a possible concern if you buy chocolate-covered nut products or eat nuts regularly.

Dietary DHA-containing oils and crude lecithin have synergistic effects on increasing plasma and RBC n-3 PUFA levels, including DHA and EPA. By increasing the systemic availability of dietary DHA, dietary lecithin may increase the efficacy of DHA supplementation when their intake is combined
Dietary Crude Lecithin Increases Systemic Availability of Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid with Combined Intake in Rats

4. Oxalates
Oxalates are physical gut irritants and can potentially create mineral-Oxalate stones (calcium oxalate usually) which lodge in the kidneys or joints. When I used to consume green smoothies daily, I first learned about Oxalates, due to joint pain I was getting whenever I used a large amount of spinach in my smoothie. I noticed that the joints in my hands (knuckles) hurt and it seems to have subsided since I replaced the spinach with other leafy greens.

As mentioned earlier, about 20-40% of the oxalates in our bloodstream come from preformed oxalates in our food. While oxalates are found in both plant and animal foods, plant foods have long been the research focus here since some plants have especially high concentrations. Among foods that we do not profile on our website, rhubarb is the most concentrated source of preformed oxalates and contains between 450-650 milligrams in about 3-1/2 ounces. Chocolate can also be a concentrated source, with the oxalate content increasing along with the percentage of cocoa contained in the chocolate. An average for 76% cocoa chocolate bars is approximately 250 milligrams per 3-1/2 ounces. But this amount can nearly double in a chocolate bar that is 100% cocoa.
Among foods that we profile on our website, the most concentrated oxalate sources (all listed in terms of milligrams per 3-1/2 ounces) include spinach (750-800 mg), beet greens (600-950 mg), almonds (380-470 mg), Swiss chard (200-640 mg), cashews (230-260 mg), and peanuts (140-184 mg). It is important to note that you will often find very different results in plant oxalate content due to differences in varieties, planting conditions, harvesting conditions, and measurement technique. It is also worth pointing out that the leaves of plants almost always contain higher oxalate levels than the roots, stems, and stalks.

It is possible that my gut is in better health than when I was consuming green smoothies and thus I am not reacting to the still-high level of Oxalates in chocolate.

5. Taste
The taste of chocolate can only be described as divine. Those prone to overeating and Binge-Eating Disorder/EDNOS/Bulimia can be triggered by chocolate. Pretty much everyone loves chocolate, and it can easily be over-consumed. Chocolate has a decent nutritional profile, heavy on the minerals, but if you're replacing more nutrient dense foods with chocolate, you could be causing nutritional issues in the long-term.

6. Fiber/Endotoxin
Cacao, cocoa and chocolate are all somewhat high in fiber. Some of this is insoluble fiber, but often times labels on chocolate products do not accurately break down how much of the fiber is Insoluble/Soluble/Starch. However, I have not noticed an increase in gas from chocolate consumption, leading me to believe the soluble and starch fibers are relatively low. Still, someone with SIBO or C.Diff or pathogenic overgrowth might produce more endotoxin from the chocolate.

7. Nutrition Labeling
Nutrition Labeling is often esoteric for chocolate products.
-Composition of the Fat breakdown in chocolate is mostly saturated, but I haven't seen much evidence for how much PUFA is in chocolate.
-Composition of the Carbohydrate breakdown (Insoluble/Soluble/Starch) is also unclear. I live in the US and maybe nutrition facts labels in other countries are more detailed.
If someone is trying to limit their soluble fiber and starch, they may not be aware of how much they're eating if they regularly consume chocolate.

8. Dairy/Sugar can aggravate acne.
Only applies to acne-prone people like me. Consuming darker chocolate (85% and above) reduces the possibility of acne breakouts.

__________________________________
Even with those potential issues, I still choose to eat chocolate because I enjoy it greatly. So what chocolate products do I eat and how much?

Product: Cacao Powder (less processed than Cocoa Powder.)

Amount: 1-2 Tablespoon daily.
Nutrition (1 tablespoon, 5g)
Calories: 15
Fat: 0g
Carbs: 3g
-2g Insoluble Fiber
-1g Soluble Fiber/Starch likely ???
---

Product: Chocolate Liquor (also called Chocolate Chips)

Amount: 2-4oz daily
Nutrition: (1 ounce, 28g )
Calories: 134
Fat: 8g
-Saturated Fat: 5g
-MUFA/PUFA: ???
Carbs: 18g
Fiber: 16g
Sugar: 2g (naturally occurring?)
---

Product: Cocoa Nibs (whenever I run out of chocolate liquor/chips)

Amount: 2-4oz
Nutrition (3 tablespoons, 28g)
Calories: 160
Fat: 11g
-Saturated Fat: 7g
-MUFA/PUFA: ???
Carbs: 11g
-5g Insoluble Fiber
-6g Soluble Fiber/Starch ???
----------------------

I've been eating both cacao powder and chocolate chips daily for the last year. I'm a self-admitted chocoholic. Ask me anything. I just wanted to inform people that you can be healthy and consume large quantities of chocolate and even in someone that is acne-prone and possibly oxalate-sensitive, this food can be a staple in the diet.

 

[theLaw]

It's pretty high in iron, so that might be a concern from eating too much.

Taking it with coffee would probably help limit iron absorption.

Also related: Cacoa Extends Lifespan And Keeps Dopamine High

 

[SOMO]

It's pretty high in iron, so that might be a concern from eating too much.

Taking it with coffee would probably help limit iron absorption.

Also related: Cacoa Extends Lifespan And Keeps Dopamine High

Jeanne Clement (died at age 122) was a known lover of chocolate.



And yeah, the iron is definitely a concern. Even worse, I used supplement with Iron Bisglycinate which from what I understand is HIGHLY-bioavailable. At the time, I thought that was a good thing lol.

My rationale was:
Blood = Hemoglobin = Iron
therefore
More Iron = Better Blood?
Obviously that was an oversimplification.



Any way to chelate iron if it's already adhered to you? I believe coffee/tea only limit iron absorption DURING the meal.

 

[Peata]

I use that same cacao powder and the same amount. Today makes a full month of use. I feel it has improved my facial skin to feel softer, smoother and look clearer/healthier glow. I even got an unsolicited comment about it, and I never get skin complements. Maybe it's the improved blood flow that cocoa is supposed to give. The other effect seems to be a subtle overall increase in positivity/mood. I can still have my issues, but it seems like they don't last as long and are not as intense. For example, last pms was barely noticeable as far as the usual irritation.

I always mix the cacao powder into coffee. Sometimes I add some milk, sugar, gelatin.

I tried eating some cocoa butter for a week or so, but found it made me crave even more fat and was starting to gain a little weight, so now I use it on my skin sometimes.

 

[Such_Saturation]

It's pretty high in iron, so that might be a concern from eating too much.

Taking it with coffee would probably help limit iron absorption.

Also related: Cacoa Extends Lifespan And Keeps Dopamine High

Chocolate might be even better than coffee at blocking iron IIRC

 

[charlie]

Cocoa makes everything better.

 

[theLaw]

Chocolate might be even better than coffee at blocking iron IIRC

+1

It looks like the range of iron is huge depending on the type of chocolate (4-60%), so if half of the lower-iron cocoa is being blocked, then it's probably fine.

 

[SOMO]

I use that same cacao powder and the same amount. Today makes a full month of use. I feel it has improved my facial skin to feel softer, smoother and look clearer/healthier glow. I even got an unsolicited comment about it, and I never get skin complements. Maybe it's the improved blood flow that cocoa is supposed to give. The other effect seems to be a subtle overall increase in positivity/mood. I can still have my issues, but it seems like they don't last as long and are not as intense. For example, last pms was barely noticeable as far as the usual irritation.

I always mix the cacao powder into coffee. Sometimes I add some milk, sugar, gelatin.

I tried eating some cocoa butter for a week or so, but found it made me crave even more fat and was starting to gain a little weight, so now I use it on my skin sometimes.

Even if chocolate (or the cacao plant specifically) is mildly toxic, I would think that the noticeable BOOST in mental state is enough of a reason to eat chocolate. I do think there is validity to the "pleasure" or dopamine-increasing effects of chocolate. I wonder if consuming small to moderate amounts of chocolate could benefit people with Depression.

I don't think all of Chocolate's effects can be chalked up to the small amounts of its Caffeine content (12mg in 1oz). Theobromine (seems like a counterpart to Theophylline in tea) also seems to have biological effects, besides harming canines.

Theobromine and caffeine, in the proportions found in cocoa, are responsible for the liking of the food/beverage. These compounds influence in a positive way our moods and our state of alertness. Theobromine, which is found in higher amounts than caffeine, seems to be behind several effects attributed to cocoa intake. The main mechanisms of action are inhibition of phosphodiesterases and blockade of adenosine receptors. Further mechanisms are being explored to better understand the health benefits associated to theobromine consumption. Unlike what happens in other mammals -pets- included, theobromine is safe for humans and has fewer unwanted effects than caffeine.
The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption. - PubMed - NCBI

Coffee and chocolate both taste good, also. That study indicates that chocolate increases alertness, so it possibly has utility for people with ADHD/attention-span issues. I wonder how many parents of ADHD-diagnoses children avoid giving their kids chocolate for fear that it will make them too hyper/unable to focus. Blocking adenosine is what coffee/caffeine does and I always felt that if consumed in larger amounts, the chocolate "high" feels a bit like mild/weak coffee.

@Peata, have you looked into the effects of topical application of oils/fatty acids like those in cocoa butter or unsaturated oils?
I actually posted a topic about this yesterday: ACNE = Linoleic-Acid DEFICIENCY? Corn Oil For Acne?

 

[Waynish]

It can be pretty damp, in TCM terms. If someone has weak digestion, then I would go with smallest quantities per chocolate session.

 

[Vinero]

It's pretty high in iron, so that might be a concern from eating too much.

Taking it with coffee would probably help limit iron absorption.

Also related: Cacoa Extends Lifespan And Keeps Dopamine High

It doesn't matter it's high in iron, it's the ratio to other minerals that matter.
For example, chocolate also contains very high copper and manganese and small amount of zinc which all compete with iron for absorption.
In fact, some people eat chocolate with red meat, as to reduce iron absorption from the red meat.

 

[Vinero]

Jeanne Clement (died at age 122) was a known lover of chocolate.



And yeah, the iron is definitely a concern. Even worse, I used supplement with Iron Bisglycinate which from what I understand is HIGHLY-bioavailable. At the time, I thought that was a good thing lol.

My rationale was:
Blood = Hemoglobin = Iron
therefore
More Iron = Better Blood?
Obviously that was an oversimplification.



Any way to chelate iron if it's already adhered to you? I believe coffee/tea only limit iron absorption DURING the meal.

Tetracycline antibiotics deplete iron, but deplete other minerals as well such as calcium and magnesium.
So if an antibiotic such as doxycycline or minocycline is used, eat foods high in minerals the rest of the day.
Tetracycline Antibiotics Are Strong Iron Chelators

 

[theLaw]

It doesn't matter it's high in iron, it's the ratio to other minerals that matter.

Not sure that's 100% true.

For instance, oysters have an excellent mineral balance, but I don't think that is wise to eat them daily due to the high iron. Keep in mind that you only get rid of around 1-2mg iron daily, unless you use specific foods. A can of oysters has 15+mg.

The balance certainly makes it more optimal, but not necessarily healthy in excess.

 

[Nicole W.]

For the last year, I've been eating a lot of chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate liquor, as well as cocoa nibs.
The good news is that I seem to have suffered no ill-effects . My skin has always been acne-prone and there has been no negative (or positive) change in my skin since I began consuming large quantities of chocolate. Chocolate is sometimes associated with acne breakouts, but that has not been my experience. Chocolate is possibly Dopaminergic and increases dopamine, and when I eat chocolate I do feel a sense of mental pleasure and cerebral happiness, possibly indicating a slight elevation in dopamine.

Issues I believe exist with chocolate:

1. Fermentation
ALL chocolate is fermented. No exceptions.
"Raw" chocolate is a scam and if you look online for raw chocolate you will not find any.

Raw cocoa pods/seeds are inedible and largely flavorless. In order for the flavor to develop, the cocoa pods have to be fermented in open-air wooden containers. Bacteria break down the fibrous outer coating of cocoa and develop the flavor.

Fermented foods can possibly increase risk of gastric cancers as seen in some Asian countries like Korea where Kim Chi (fermented cabbage + capsaicin-peppers). As someone that LOVES sauerkraut, kombucha, beet kvass, kefir, etc. this was a major disappointment. I now limit these foods to some degree.
Gastric Cancer Epidemiology in Korea

2. Mold/mycotoxins.
Even with quality-controlled fermentation, most cocoa is processed outdoors, possibly introducing mold and/or mycotoxins into the final products. From what I understand of the chocolate manufacturing process, the cocoa is roasted before or after fermentation, killing most of the organisms. Even after the roasting stage, chocolate is later melted and heated. Generally the temperature is high enough to kill most pathogenic organisms and the possible mold issues have been acknowledged by the cocoa industry for many decades. I have faith that major chocolate manufacturers (Ghiradelli, Lindt, Hershey, etc.) have industry best-practices in place to avoid mycotoxins.

3. Lecithin
Lecithin is used an emulsifier in many chocolates, and most often this is Soy Lecithin or Sunflower Lecithin. (I personally believe there is no difference between Soy Lecithin, Egg Lecithin and Sunflower Lecithin.)
Lecithin increases absorption and adherence of PUFAs to Red Blood Cells (RBCs). This is probably only an issue if you're consuming lots of PUFAs, but...chocolate is often MIXED with PUFA-heavy nuts (chocolate+almond, chocolate+pecan, chocolate+peanut butter, etc. etc.) making the emulsifier a possible concern if you buy chocolate-covered nut products or eat nuts regularly.


4. Oxalates
Oxalates are physical gut irritants and can potentially create mineral-Oxalate stones (calcium oxalate usually) which lodge in the kidneys or joints. When I used to consume green smoothies daily, I first learned about Oxalates, due to joint pain I was getting whenever I used a large amount of spinach in my smoothie. I noticed that the joints in my hands (knuckles) hurt and it seems to have subsided since I replaced the spinach with other leafy greens.


It is possible that my gut is in better health than when I was consuming green smoothies and thus I am not reacting to the still-high level of Oxalates in chocolate.

5. Taste
The taste of chocolate can only be described as divine. Those prone to overeating and Binge-Eating Disorder/EDNOS/Bulimia can be triggered by chocolate. Pretty much everyone loves chocolate, and it can easily be over-consumed. Chocolate has a decent nutritional profile, heavy on the minerals, but if you're replacing more nutrient dense foods with chocolate, you could be causing nutritional issues in the long-term.

6. Fiber/Endotoxin
Cacao, cocoa and chocolate are all somewhat high in fiber. Some of this is insoluble fiber, but often times labels on chocolate products do not accurately break down how much of the fiber is Insoluble/Soluble/Starch. However, I have not noticed an increase in gas from chocolate consumption, leading me to believe the soluble and starch fibers are relatively low. Still, someone with SIBO or C.Diff or pathogenic overgrowth might produce more endotoxin from the chocolate.

7. Nutrition Labeling
Nutrition Labeling is often esoteric for chocolate products.
-Composition of the Fat breakdown in chocolate is mostly saturated, but I haven't seen much evidence for how much PUFA is in chocolate.
-Composition of the Carbohydrate breakdown (Insoluble/Soluble/Starch) is also unclear. I live in the US and maybe nutrition facts labels in other countries are more detailed.
If someone is trying to limit their soluble fiber and starch, they may not be aware of how much they're eating if they regularly consume chocolate.

8. Dairy/Sugar can aggravate acne.
Only applies to acne-prone people like me. Consuming darker chocolate (85% and above) reduces the possibility of acne breakouts.

__________________________________
Even with those potential issues, I still choose to eat chocolate because I enjoy it greatly. So what chocolate products do I eat and how much?

Product: Cacao Powder (less processed than Cocoa Powder.)

Amount: 1-2 Tablespoon daily.
Nutrition (1 tablespoon, 5g)
Calories: 15
Fat: 0g
Carbs: 3g
-2g Insoluble Fiber
-1g Soluble Fiber/Starch likely ???
---

Product: Chocolate Liquor (also called Chocolate Chips)

Amount: 2-4oz daily
Nutrition: (1 ounce, 28g )
Calories: 134
Fat: 8g
-Saturated Fat: 5g
-MUFA/PUFA: ???
Carbs: 18g
Fiber: 16g
Sugar: 2g (naturally occurring?)
---

Product: Cocoa Nibs (whenever I run out of chocolate liquor/chips)

Amount: 2-4oz
Nutrition (3 tablespoons, 28g)
Calories: 160
Fat: 11g
-Saturated Fat: 7g
-MUFA/PUFA: ???
Carbs: 11g
-5g Insoluble Fiber
-6g Soluble Fiber/Starch ???
----------------------

I've been eating both cacao powder and chocolate chips daily for the last year. I'm a self-admitted chocoholic. Ask me anything. I just wanted to inform people that you can be healthy and consume large quantities of chocolate and even in someone that is acne-prone and possibly oxalate-sensitive, this food can be a staple in the diet.

Fellow chocolate lover here. One issue you did not mention is the potentially high levels of cadmium and arsenic found specifically in cocoa powders. It really sounds like you consume a lot of this stuff, so even if the levels were considered low to moderate, your consumption is high which would lead me to believe that you might be unwittingly poisoning yourself. I love chocolate too and could eat it all day long, but that one issue really gives me pause. I’m wondering what your thoughts are on this.

 

[Vinero]

Fellow chocolate lover here. One issue you did not mention is the potentially high levels of cadmium and arsenic found specifically in cocoa powders. It really sounds like you consume a lot of this stuff, so even if the levels were considered low to moderate, your consumption is high which would lead me to believe that you might be unwittingly poisoning yourself. I love chocolate too and could eat it all day long, but that one issue really gives me pause. I’m wondering what your thoughts are on this.

Is cadmium and arsenic specifically found in cocoa powder? Or in all cocoa products like chocolate bars, cocoa butter etc.?

 

[Nicole W.]

Is cadmium and arsenic specifically found in cocoa powder? Or in all cocoa products like chocolate bars, cocoa butter etc.?

I have read the concentration of these heavy metals are highest in cocoa powder and much less so in chocolate bars. Recently, an organization called Consumer Lab tested 40 chocolate products, powders, bars supplements and found high levels is almost all of them. They outline the worst offenders but I think the take home message is high consumption of cocoa is probably not safe.

 

[MrThyroid]

the higher the fat or cacao content of chocolate is the higher the affinity for toxins to bind to the fat thats the reason why i completely stopped eating dark chocolate 85 % +, because its full of cadmium, aluminium, arsenic and not forget to mention MOSH and MOAH . bye bye lovely chocolate

 

[Vinero]

the higher the fat or cacao content of chocolate is the higher the affinity for toxins to bind to the fat thats the reason why i completely stopped eating dark chocolate 85 % +, because its full of cadmium, aluminium, arsenic and not forget to mention MOSH and MOAH . bye bye lovely chocolate

Not to mention that 85% cocoa chocolate tastes absolutely horrible.

 

[danishispsychic]

I think you would have yourself why you have acne and possibly get to the bottom of that one.

 

[Cirion]

For an anecdotal story... My libido/mood was at a lifetime high when I was consuming 90% chocolate just about every day (alongside a high fat diet in general). I think it's time to eat chocolate again... not sure why I stopped, guess because I was trying to bring fat content down.

What about kidney stones? My brother ended up with these because he ate a lot of chocolate candies. Maybe it was because he also had a lot of PUFA's? I forget what his candy bar of choice was and if it had PUFA's or not (very possible though). That's my only concern with lots of chocolate intake.

 

[MrThyroid]

Not to mention that 85% cocoa chocolate tastes absolutely horrible.

try with some espresso excellent you have to start with 50 % cacao then go up until 85 % its taste amazing with espresso