Home
Myths, Part 2 Print E-mail


Cavities

Sugar causes cavities, right? Are you hesitating? Has this debunking of chocolate myths got you unsure of yourself, even of something so elemental as the fact that sugar causes cavities? Well, in this case, you're right. Sugar does cause cavities. But there's more to the story than that.

Cavities are caused by bacteria in our mouths. These bacteria feed on simple carbohydrates and transform them into acid. The bacteria also combine with other substances in our food to form plaque, that sticky stuff we brush off every morning. When the bacteria and plaque stick to our teeth and produce acid, the acid weakens the enamel on our teeth, eventually "drilling" holes into the teeth that then let even more bacteria and acid in toward the nerve. Ouch.

Bacteria can use any simple carbohydrate to pull this off. That means sugar works well, but so does flour, rice, potatoes, and pasta. This is why primitive hunter-gatherer tribes, who have no agriculture and eat almost no carbohydrates, don't even have words for cavities, much less for toothbrush. What dentists are starting to realize is that it is not the sweetness of a carbohydrate that makes it a cavity-causer, but how long it takes that food to "clear the mouth." The reality is surprising. Foods that get stuck in crevices of the mouthsuch as crackers, chips, cookies, and dried fruit are more likely to cause cavities than foods such as chocolate or soda.

Chocolate may even help prevent cavities from forming. Really. The tannins in chocolate (like those in tea and red wine) prevent bacteria from being able to form their plaque "glue" they use to stick to teeth. Research bears this out. A study of 3,000 children found no connection between chocolate consumption and cavities, and a Swedish study found that chocolate-eaters had the same rate of cavities as those who consumed no sweets at all.

Heart Palpitations

Theobroma cacao is going to have to plead guilty on this one. Many people find that they suffer heart palpitationsracing or fluttery heartbeatsafter consuming caffeine in any form. While usually harmless, these palpitations can be scary and unpleasant. While chocolate has less caffeine in it than soda, tea, or coffee, and is thus less likely to cause palpitations, people who are extremely sensitive to caffeine should probably avoid chocolate as well. It's possible that the theobromine and phenylethylamine in chocolate could also contribute to heart palpitations.

Obesity

"I can't eat chocolate because it will make me fat and unhealthy."

Look, if you eat three pints of chocolate ice cream per day, you're gonna get fat. For that matter, if you eat a loaf of Wonder Bread every day you're likely to get fat. Eating one serving of good-quality chocolate per day will have no impact on your weight, will improve your cholesterol, and will make you considerably less likely to get heart disease or stroke. Dieticians estimate that only 1 percent of the average American's caloric intake comes from chocolate.

Compare the 170 calories in a Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Chocolate Bar with the 750 calories in a Whopper with Cheese, the 540 calories in a large McDonald's fries, or the 570 calories in a vanilla shake. A single meal at a fast-food restaurant can easily hit the 2,000-calorie limit for an entire day's supply of food! Make your choices. Cut out the fast food, hit the Scharffen Berger, and you will be healthy, wealthyand slim.


 
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)