A Malaga cardiologist has explained how eating the right type of chocolate in small amounts could provide surprising health benefits.

Dr Aurelio Rojas says the key is not simply choosing dark chocolate, but selecting varieties with a high cocoa content and therefore greater levels of flavonoids, which are naturally occurring compounds found in cocoa.

In a recent video, Rojas pointed to research suggesting cocoa flavonoids may benefit the gut microbiome, blood sugar control and inflammation.

One human trial found that eating 30g of 85% dark chocolate every day for three weeks increased the diversity of participants’ gut microbiota.

Rojas also cited a meta-analysis of 31 trials which found cocoa consumption was associated with an average reduction of around 5mg/dL in fasting blood glucose, with the effect particularly apparent among people at greater metabolic risk.

Another study involving around 600 older adults found that taking an extract containing 500mg of cocoa flavonoids per day was associated with an 8.5% reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.

However, that does not mean unlimited chocolate suddenly becomes healthy.

Rojas recommends choosing chocolate containing at least 85% cocoa and keeping portions small.

His suggested daily serving is around 10–20g of 85%+ dark chocolate, or a level tablespoon of pure cocoa powder.

For an even healthier snack, he recommends combining it with yoghurt or kefir, berries and nuts.

The distinction is important because many commercial chocolate products contain large quantities of added sugar and fat, potentially outweighing some of cocoa’s benefits.

So while chocolate certainly isn’t a miracle food, choosing a high-cocoa variety and eating it in moderation could make a small daily portion considerably more nutritious than you might think.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.