Atlantico: At Easter, 14,940 tonnes of chocolates (2014 figure) are devoured by the French in a single weekend. What risks can such consumption entail over such a short period?
Jean-Michel Cohen: There is an obvious risk for anyone with health problems. People who are overweight, have cholesterol or suffer from diabetes are forced to limit their consumption. Chocolate is a high-calorie product. It contains on average 30 to 35% fat. Fats will act on the caloric value and can increase cardiovascular problems for people who already have them. For diabetics, the concern is obvious because it is necessary to limit the consumption of sugar. And for people who are overweight, the caloric content of chocolate makes the difference. 100 grams of chocolate represents 540 calories. For example, 100 grams of butter is 700 calories and 100 grams of foie gras is 500 calories. We see that we are in a product with a very high caloric density so we are forced to moderate its consumption and in addition to choose the best possible chocolates to have a quality of fat that is good.
Which chocolates should consumers choose to avoid disappointment?
Most of the time artisans, bakers, pastry chefs, master chocolate makers use real chocolate, that is to say a product that contains both cocoa mass and cocoa butter. But for economic reasons, we mainly find today what are called candies or chocolate pralines. These are actually compositions with a little cocoa mass, sugar and hydrogenated or vegetable fats. The downside is that these products are not as healthy as real chocolate. In addition, the sugar content of these products is generally higher and the variety of tastes is so great that it leads to overconsumption. So I advise to buy from artisans because they worked the chocolate themselves. If you have the means, it is best to go to chocolate specialists who use cocoa mass and cocoa butter.
Some nutritionists praise the merits of dark chocolate, is it true that it is better for your health?
No it is a mistake. Dark chocolate is just a little bit more fatty than milk chocolate but it is a little less sweet. This fashion for dark chocolate is explained by the fact that its merits were extensively praised during the sugar-free diet era. It was also considered that the milk contained in milk chocolate could reduce the effectiveness of the antioxidants contained in cocoa mass. But it remains a relatively minor drawback. So milk chocolate or dark chocolate? There is no real difference from a health point of view. One is sweeter, the other is more fatty. But it is milk chocolate that is the least caloric. To say that dark chocolate is better for health is therefore a legend which is not exact.
For parents who might worry about their children devouring chocolates on chocolates this Easter weekend, is there a limit not to be exceeded?
The limit is often set yourself. Children don’t tend to stare at it because as long as they can eat and have fun they take it. But a ration of 50 to 60 grams of chocolate is correct. This represents almost 300 calories and about 20 grams of fat. To give a benchmark it is the equivalent of the big chocolate rabbit that the youngest will find in the garden. As for small eggs, they weigh on average 5 grams so if children eat a dozen it will not hurt them. It should not be forgotten that chocolate remains a pleasure food and as such it is consumed as a treat. The only condition is that this consumption is occasional and this is the case for Easter.
Does chocolate have magic properties on the body?
It has been given all the virtues because chocolate is an extremely complex product that contains almost 800 molecules. It was said at the turn of the XVI and XVII centuries that it could fight against pulmonary infections. It has also been attributed aphrodisiac virtues. It is true that we find in caffeine where a certain exciting function of chocolate. It also has a small antidepressant property, probably due to certain molecules that act on serotonin, a hormone that helps restore normal mood. Finally, chocolate is a product that would fight, certainly at very low doses, against high blood pressure. So chocolate is not a bad product. It is simply a very rich product, a little fatty and to be consumed in a balanced way.
For Easter, however, there may be some excesses. What do you recommend in this case?
If your eyes were bigger than your stomach during this weekend, you just have to go back to the good old peasant advice. When you have had an excessive meal or a few deviations, the following days you are deficient, that is to say that you eat very little. Today we are developing two techniques. Either people are advised to eat lean calorie meals the next day. A soup with dairy products the next day can do the trick. The second technique is more original. It consists of intermittent fasts which are 16 hour food abstinence. It would seem to be more effective in mobilizing body fat and at the same time improving the evolution of weight.
This interview was originally published in April 2018
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