Is Chocolate the Next Super Food?

Does the story adequately discuss the costs of the intervention?

Not Satisfactory

The story should have pointed out that the dark chocolate associated with health benefits is generally more expensive than other chocolates due to its high cocoa content.

Does the story adequately quantify the benefits of the treatment/test/product/procedure?

Not Satisfactory

Overall, WebMD’s characterization of chocolate as a “superfood” makes it sound like an arm of the Hershey marketing department. More specifically, although the story provides data on some of the results, it doesn’t quantify others and doesn’t point out that no actual health outcomes were assessed. In addition, it doesn’t identify misleading comparisons that might make chocolate look better than the other foods included in the study. Examples:

• The story says the antioxidant activity of cocoa powder was “higher than all other super fruits.” But it never explained exactly what “antioxidant activity” means or how it is measured. It also didn’t tell us how much higher it was in chocolate compared with the other foods.
• The story says that uNPRocessed cocoa powder had more flavonols than other “superfruit powders.” But very few people eat uNPRocessed cocoa powder and almost nobody eats “superfruit powder.” We think the story should have pointed out that these comparisons didn’t include foods that people actually consume — like chocolate bars (usually processed milk chocolate) and real fruit.
• The story gives the total polyphenol content per serving for dark chocolate, which it says was higher than the fruit juices except pomegranate juice. Why not give us all the figures so that we can judge the differences for ourselves?

Does the story adequately explain/quantify the harms of the intervention?

Not Satisfactory

Starting with the headline, this story extols the health-promoting properties of the antioxidants found in chocolate, and it isn’t until the last sentence that we receive a hint of a warning about potential downsides of chocolate, such as high saturated fat and total calorie content. The story states, somewhat euphemistically, that dark chocolate is a “potential superfood to be enjoyed in moderation.” The story should have cautioned that you will have to limit yourself to just a small square of chocolate per day — a fraction of a standard chocolate bar, and much less than what the average person consumes as a snack — to achieve any potential health benefits. If you eat any more, the weight gain caused by the additional calories will most likely negate any benefits from the health promoting antioxidants.

Does the story seem to grasp the quality of the evidence?

Not Satisfactory

The story focused exclusively on the antioxidant content of chocolate compared with other so-called “superfruits,” suggesting that the more antioxidants a food contains, the better it must be for health. Food marketers certainly want us to believe that more antioxidants equals better health, but it has never been conclusively established that antioxidants help prevent heart attacks or have any other health benefits. In fact, taking certain antioxidants in pill form has been associated with increased risk of death in some studies.

To be clear, all plant foods contain antioxidants, and we know that these types of foods generally are good for us. However, it hasn’t been proven that antioxidants are the active ingredient responsible these health benefits. Nor has it been shown that exotic superfruits or cocoa products confer more health benefits than “garden variety” fruits and vegetables that are much less expensive and more easily obtained. By making this story all about antioxidants and failing to provide the larger context, the story is likely to lead readers to overestimate the importance of the study’s findings.

Does the story compare the new approach with existing alternatives?

Not Satisfactory

The story never pointed out that everyday fruits and vegetables can be good sources of antioxidants. They are usually less expensive than antioxidant “superfruits” and have less fat and sugar than chocolate. In addition, drinks such as coffee, green tea, and red wine are also rich in antioxidants. And clearly, eating a variety of different foods is the best approach to overall health.

Does the story establish the true novelty of the approach?

Not Satisfactory

Researchers have been exploring the health effects of chocolate for more than a decade. There have been dozens of studies on the subject (and perhaps as many Valentine’s Day news stories), and yet this story makes it sound like this study might be the first to document potential benefits. The story should have referenced the extensive literature that supports consumption of very small amounts of minimally processed dark chocolate for better health.