of Chocolate and Wine

Rich, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth luscious, chocolate has been tempting us throughout the ages. It has been revered as food for the gods, a natural mood enhancer, and a sure way to charm the heart. The Mayans are believed to have incorporated cacao (a raw form of chocolate) into their marriage ceremonies, showing that even the ancients believed that matters of the heart go hand-in-hand with chocolate.

Today, much to every chocolate lover’s delight, research is pointing to a connection between chocolate and heart health. Lori Brizee, registered dietician with Central Oregon Nutrition Consultants, explains that although the amount of chocolate we would need to consume to see any significant health benefits is quite high, dark chocolate does contains the beneficial flavonol, epicatechin, a type of heart-healthy antioxidant found in many fruits and veggies.

“Eating dark chocolate in moderation may help with blood pressure, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease,” Brizee said.

Chocolate also appears to have the power to warm our hearts on an emotional level.

“Terms like ‘it’s better than sex’ stem from chocolate’s ability to communicate with the pleasure center of our brains,” said Layla Fay, certified integrative nutrition coach in Bend. “[It] triggers neurotransmitters that release feelings of joy, satisfaction and contentment.”

But not all chocolate is created equal when it comes to health.

“Always read the labels, and see how the chocolate was processed,” advised Annie Baumann, licensed and registered dietician at Bend Memorial Clinic. If it says ‘processed with alkali’ or ‘Dutch processed,’ then all of the beneficial flavonols have been destroyed.”

Lori Brizee suggests that dark chocolate is the most beneficial. Dark chocolate is chocolate that does not contain milk. It is often identified by the cocoa percentage, which indicates the amount of cocoa solids in the chocolate — the higher the percentage, the more cocoa solids and the darker the chocolate, the lower the percentage, the more sugar and other fillers.

“We want to consume chocolate with more than 80 percent cocoa,” explained Brizee. “As the percentage of cocoa drops, you get less and less of the benefits.”

Dark chocolate and red wine

While dark chocolate may offer a handful of health benefits on its own, many people feel pairing chocolate with a glass of wine, especially red wine, will boost the benefits even further. Red wine contains the compound resveratrol, which like the flavonols in chocolate, appears to have some beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.

This, however, is not a license to consume large amounts of either. As in most things in life, there is grace in moderation.

“The flavonols in chocolate and the resveratrol in wine have been shown to improve cardiovascular health, but,” warned Annie Baumann, “the amounts of them that are needed to produce those effects are unrealistic to consume through chocolate and wine.”

In the same cautionary vein, Brizee pointed out that while there are some benefits to wine, overindulging can quickly cancel out any health benefits, and can potentially lead to certain cancers. She recommends no more than one glass of wine (about 5 ounces) a day for women, and two for men.

“Having that glass of red wine, and one piece of dark chocolate, I think is delightful,” Brizee said. “However, 3 glasses of wine and half the bar of chocolate is no longer healthful.”

Although it may be true that we would have to consume an unrealistic (and potentially unhealthy) amount of dark chocolate or red wine to produce any significant heart benefits, there is still much value in taking the time to thoroughly enjoy the occasional indulgence.

“I think it’s a relatively healthy thing to do, but with everything, moderation is key,” advised Brizee. “I regularly eat dark chocolate, but you have to savor it — don’t just chew it up. Let it melt in your mouth to get all those rich, complex flavors … Dark chocolate and red wine — that you savor — is a fantastic dessert.”

Pairing chocolate and wine

Luscious, dark chocolate paired with rich, red wine is a match made in heaven – yes? Well – it depends!

“Sometimes the astringency in the chocolate can bring out the astringency in the wine,” said Doug Maragas, owner and winemaker at Maragas Winery. Choosing a poorly matched combination can actually make both taste quite unpleasant, he added.

“The best way to find out what goes together is to just try it,” Maragas said. “It really depends on your own taste.”

Many people find that chocolate pairs best with wines that are perceived to be sweeter than the chocolate. Maragas recommends trying chocolate with complex dessert wines or ports that have red grapes in the blend, such as the Maragas Winery Tootsie, a dessert wine with flavors of ripe apples and cherries.

Cindy Grossmann, owner of Faith, Hope and Charity Vineyards, suggests that darker chocolates will generally pair better with bolder wines, and lighter chocolates with lighter wines.

“A piece of chocolate can change that glass of wine,” Grossmann said. “The pairings are so important.”

She is particularly enthusiastic about the Faith, Hope and Charity merlot, enjoyed with a chocolate flavored with cinnamon.

“Our merlot is a mature, high alcohol content wine, with a little hint of pepper. Put that cinnamon with it, and it’s like, bing!”

Chocolate and wine for the soul

Although chocolate and wine may not be quite as good for our health as we might desire, few would deny that slowing down to thoroughly savor a decadent square of dark chocolate, accompanied by a rich glass of red wine, is good for the soul.

Perhaps Charles M. Schulz said it best with his famous quote, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

Perhaps a little glass of well-paired wine alongside, is divine!