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Surprising Science

Chocolate Better Than Fruit Juice

Great news for chocolate lovers: new research published in Chemistry Central Journal claims that chocolate contains more antioxidants (polyphenols and flavanols) than fruit juice.
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When researchers at the Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition compared antioxidants in dark chocolate to those in fruit juice powder, they found that the chocolate trumped the juice with more antioxidant capacity, and a greater total flavanol content. In the study, cocoa products beat out blueberry and cranberry powder on the antioxidant scale. Cocoa powder, however, fell short of pomegranate juice. “Cacao seeds should be considered a ‘superfruit’ and products derived from cacao seed extracts, such as natural cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as ‘superfoods,'” researchers said.

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