The Benefits of Red Wine & Dark Chocolate

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By the time you see this, it will either almost be Valentine’s Day, or it will be Valentine’s Day—either way, the topic for this week’s blog post is on theme! Whether you’re single, in a long-term relationship, celebrating your first V-Day with a new partner, or what have you, Valentine's Day can be a fun way to switch up your daily routine and treat yourself to a little indulgence. 

In 2020, I wrote a blog post with eight ways to show yourself self-love on Valentine’s Day, which I highly recommend for anyone who wants to do something special for themselves. (Spoiler: There’s a fantastic healthy brownie recipe included!). 

This year, I want to talk about the health benefits of two of my favorite foods (yes, one is a drink)... chocolate and wine! Maybe you’ve heard that they’re “good for you” before, but you aren’t sure why, or what kinds/brands are the healthiest and most delicious. Don’t worry, that’s what I’m here for!

The Benefits of Red Wine and Dark Chocolate

Okay, so chocolate and wine both have benefits in theory…but which kinds actually have the benefits? The answer: red wine and dark chocolate. 

As we all know, wine is made from grapes, and grapes are surprisingly full of antioxidants. Because of these antioxidants, red wine has been shown in studies to help reduce inflammation, as well as your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It’s also been shown to reduce risk of dementia and type 2 diabetes in women. Of course, these benefits result from moderate consumption of red wine—think one or 1.5 five ounce glasses per day, max. Drinking much more than that is detrimental to your health and actually increases your risk of disease. Plus, if you have weight loss goals, it’s not going to help. I know, it’s a fine line! Also, experts recommend having at least one to two days of the week that are totally alcohol free. Bottom line: Treating yourself to a little red wine from time to time isn’t going to harm your body long-term, and it might actually help you avoid disease. Make sure to choose natural wines, which you can read more about here. 

As for chocolate, the healthiest kind is dark chocolate. That’s because the health benefits of chocolate come from cocoa (and cacao, which is used in some bars in place of cocoa), and dark chocolate contains a much higher percentage than milk chocolate. (Note: milk chocolate has waaaaay less cocoa, and virtually no benefits. It’s essentially all sugar and milk.) A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70 to 85% cocoa contains 11 grams of fiber, 67% of the daily value of iron, 58% of the DV for magnesium, 89% of the DV for copper, 98% of the DV for manganese. It is also a good source of potassium, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus. (Another note: 100 grams of chocolate is a lot to consume on a daily basis, this example is just to illustrate the benefits. In reality, you want to keep your dark chocolate consumption to one to two small squares a day). Similar to red wine, dark chocolate contains numerous antioxidants, like polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins, making it beneficial for your health in a number of ways. Dark chocolate may reduce your risk of heart disease, improve your brain function, lower your LDL cholesterol (the harmful kind), and even improve your blood pressure and circulation! 

When shopping for dark chocolate, the lower the sugar content the better. The same goes for the ingredient list: the shorter the better. Also, look for bars that have at least 70% cacao or cocoa content (it will almost always say it on the wrapper or in the ingredient list). 

My favorite red wines and dark chocolate

Now that you know the benefits, it’s time to stock up your stash!

Here are a few of my favorite natural red wines: 

And my favorite dark chocolate bars/snacks: 

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day, no matter what your plans are! Remember, all that matters is that you’re happy, safe, and cared for.

Xo, 

Renata