Be Mine, Flavanoids! The go-to Valentine’s Day duo of chocolate and wine can actually benefit your health.

Chocolate is one of those things that people get fanatical about. I personally do not like chocolate—I know, I know, I’ve heard them all: “What?! How could you not like chocolate?”, “Oh my God, I’ve never, and I mean NEVER met anyone that doesn’t like chocolate.”, and “Good, more for me!” I’m the only person in my family that doesn’t like chocolate, but I don’t think anyone in my family is a chocoholic either. I do have some friends though, that literally eat it every day and feel about chocolate the way I feel about coffee in the morning: it would be bad for all around me if there wasn’t any in the kitchen! Good news for them! Recent studies have shown that the flavanoids in chocolate provide numerous health benefits including being high in antioxidants, lowering blood pressure, and supporting heart health.

What are flavanoids? They are compounds that naturally occur in plants that aid in protecting the plant from environmental toxins and assist in repairing damage. When we ingest plants high in flavanoids, (tea, wine, apples, blueberries, cocoa) they are thought to provide the same positive effects to us. The problem with chocolate—and you knew there would be!—is that it is a processed food and therefore the flavanoids are reduced in number by the time it reaches the shelf. It seems that dark chocolate maintains the highest level of flavanoids because it is less processed and isn’t made with milk which may inhibit the absorption of the flavanoids. Seems like when it comes to chocolate, you should be thinking the same way as you do about your fruits and vegetables: dark is better. Just remember, dark chocolate is a good chocolate. It’s still a high calorie food that needs to be eaten in moderation, and there is no serving size that’s been established in order to obtain the health benefits it offers.

Now red wine on the other hand, is a health food I can get behind! Once again, the flavanoids are what’s providing much of the health remuneration. One study found that red wine can reduce the chance of heart attack in middle aged people if women consume one glass per day and men consume two. Again, moderation is the key—1 glass = 4 ounces! Alcohol is full of empty calories and has been linked to cancer and an increase in triglycerides (the chemical form of fat in foods) in the body. Some believe that the high levels of acidity and the alcohol content in wine inhibits the growth of many different types of microorganisms that cause disease. Dr. Serge Renaud, a French scientist, studied 34,000 French men finding that they could eat foods high in saturated fats and live a long life due to their consumption of two to three glasses of wine each day. (Who know s what would happen to women if they drank the same amount since he didn’t include them in the study!) Recent American studies have found that drinking almost any type of alcohol in moderation can reduce the death rate.

If you really want to ramp up your healthy Valentine’s Day celebration, break out the bubbly. Several studies have been conducted on champagne with the results showing that it can protect the brain from the ravages of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as well as shield it from the neurological damages that can occur during stroke. Cheers!

To be honest, although wine is delectable and truly the elixir of the gods and chocolate is globally loved, the same flavanoid benefits can be found in red grapes, onions, cranberries, black beans and cabbage. Not very romantic, and not nearly as nice in the bath with a good book; or a good partner! And who wants to get frisky on Valentine’s Day over a couple of onions? So, on this holiday, get your honey a box of organic, dark chocolates and a wash them down with a couple of glasses of organic red wine—if you’re going to indulge, at least it will be with an eye on your health!

Kelly Polston
Contributing Author and Chef