Produce, including fruit, makes up the foundation of a healthy diet, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends eating 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit daily. Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate can contribute to your fruit intake and offer some health benefits due to the nutrients in the chocolate and the berries. However, you should consume them in moderation as a treat, and not as a regular part of your diet.
Strawberries are a rich source of vitamin C. Each serving of three large berries dipped in an ounce of dark chocolate offers 30.9 milligrams of vitamin C -- approximately 42 percent of the recommended daily intake for women or 33 percent for men, according to the Institute of Medicine. Vitamin C helps you make collagen, a protein essential for strong tissue, and also plays a role in breaking down fat to form energy. Consuming a diet rich in vitamin C helps keep you healthy by protecting your immune system and lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate also boost your intake of manganese, an essential mineral. Manganese allows you to metabolize carbohydrates and proteins and give rise to useable energy; it also aids in producing glutamate, a chemical involved in nerve cell communication. Manganese helps you make proteoglycans, a class of protein needed for healthy cartilage and bone. Three large strawberries and an ounce of dark chocolate boost your manganese intake by 0.8 milligram, and provide approximately 35 percent of your recommended daily intake, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Flavonoids in chocolate act as antioxidants -- they protect your cells against free radicals, damaging molecules that contribute to aging. The flavonoids in cocoa also help control your body's inflammation levels and protect against heart disease, which is linked to excess inflammation. People with diabetes might also benefit from consuming some dark chocolate because it helps fight insulin resistance, according to a review published in "Antioxidants & Redox Signalling" in 2011. The flavonoid content of dark chocolate varies, but dark chocolates containing a larger amount of cocoa solids have more flavonoids than lighter varieties.
Calories and Considerations
Dark chocolate-dipped strawberries certainly have a nutritional leg up over many other sweets, but still come with some drawbacks. Three berries dipped in an ounce of chocolate contain 188 calories, compared to just 18 calories for the berries on their own. Some varieties of dark chocolate might contain more sugar than others, further boosting the calorie content. If you don't practice portion control, consuming too much dark chocolate can lead to weight gain. For the healthiest option, make your own dipped strawberries at home, so that you can select a dark chocolate with a high concentration of cocoa solids, and control the amount of chocolate you use.
- USDA ChooseMyPlate: How Much Fruit Is Needed Daily?
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Strawberries, Raw
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
- Linus Pauling Institute: Manganese
- Antioxidants & Redox Signalling: Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Chocolate, Dark, 70-85% Cacao Solids
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