Add An Underrated Ingredient To Your Hot Cocoa For An Unexpected Effect On Your Cholesterol

One of the best things about the cold winter months is sipping on hot cocoa with some marshmallows. Hot cocoa warms your bones and your soul while you are cuddling up in a blanket near a warm fire. You can even add some extra flavorings such as peppermint or caramel to make your hot cocoa even more indulgent.

Cocoa has cocoa flavanols, and 400 milligrams of these flavanols can be good for your heart health. However, you probably won’t get too much of these flavanols if your hot cocoa comes in a packet. A homemade cup of cocoa has about two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and Consumer Lab says that a tablespoon of cocoa powder has between 37 and 130 milligrams of cocoa flavanols.

You’ll have to add more of these cocoa flavanols to your hot cocoa to see drastic improvements in your cardiovascular health. A 2018 study in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry divided participants into three groups: one consuming 55 milligrams of cocoa flavanols per day, another taking 110 milligrams daily, and a high-intake group receiving 220 milligrams per day. After four weeks, the high-cocoa group saw their total cholesterol drop by about 12 points and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol drop by almost 15 points. Their HDL cholesterol improved by a little more than 3 points.

Boost your heart health with cocoa flavanols

Flavanols are a class of natural compounds found in plant-based foods. High amounts of flavanols are found in cocoa, grapes, and tea. Cocoa flavanols may support cardiovascular health by preventing blood clots and improving the function of blood vessels. Scientists are still trying to understand how these flavanols work, but a 2016 review in The Journal of Nutrition found that cocoa flavanols can increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol and reduce triglycerides. Cocoa flavanols also reduce markers of inflammation that can lead to chronic disease and improve vascular health. Insulin sensitivity might also be enhanced by taking in more cocoa flavanols.

You can power up your hot cocoa by adding a cocoa flavanol supplement. Cocoa flavanol supplements can pack 500 milligrams of flavanols in a 10-calorie serving. A 2015 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that adding this cocoa flavanol supplement to people’s drinks twice a day for four weeks lowered their blood pressure, cholesterol, arterial stiffness, and heart disease risk. They also saw a 1.2% improvement in their blood vessel function.

Choose dark chocolate for the most health benefits

Even though homemade hot cocoa has some cocoa powder, it’s also made with sugar and heavy cream. A hot cocoa mix packet, depending on the brand, has little nutrition and 12 grams of sugar. In other words, hot cocoa alone probably won’t do much for your health. Adding some cocoa flavanols to your hot cocoa can provide some health benefits while satisfying your sweet tooth. (Here are some other tricks to make your hot chocolate healthier).

You probably already know that dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate because it has more cocoa flavanols. Dark chocolate also tends to be lower in sugar and has more minerals such as iron, zinc, and magnesium. Choosing dark chocolate might also lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a 2024 study found in BMJ. People who ate five or more servings of dark chocolate every week had a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Milk chocolate doesn’t reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes but is linked to weight gain.