Healthiest Chocolate Fix

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The phytonutrients in soy responsible for lowering cancer risk are called isoflavones—a type of flavonoid. 

There are also flavonoids in chocolate, but where are they found the most? According to a new study this year, in terms of phytonutrient content, is the healthiest chocolate fix baking chocolate, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips?

Here’s the graph. Which one takes the cake? Cocoa powder is definitely the best way to get your chocolate fix.

You know how dark chocolate is like 70% cocoa solids? Well, cocoa powder is like 90+% cocoa solids—that’s basically all it is!

#2 is the baking chocolate. Which is #3, though? The semi-sweet chips are actually #3, with dark chocolate #4.

Any guess as to last place? Well, they’re both pretty useless, but the hint is the “genuine chocolate flavor.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

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• N. Guha, M. L. Kwan, C. P. Quesenberry Jr, E. K. Weltzien, A. L. Castillo, and B. J. Caan. Soy isoflavones and risk of cancer recurrence in a cohort of breast cancer survivors: the Life After Cancer Epidemiology study. Breast Cancer Res. Treat., 118(2):395-405, 2009.
• K. B. Miller, W. J. Hurst, N. Flannigan, B. Ou, C. Y. Lee, N. Smith, and D. A. Stuart. Survey of commercially available chocolate- and cocoa-containing products in the United States. 2. Comparison of flavan-3-ol content with nonfat cocoa solids, total polyphenols, and percent cacao. J. Agric. Food. Chem., 57(19):9169-9180, 2009.

• chocolate
• cocoa
• flavonoids
• isoflavones
• junk food
• phytonutrients
• polyphenols