Flavanol

A distinct group of compounds within the flavonoids family – plant compounds that can be found in a variety of foods and drinks, such as red wine, cocoa, green tea and certain fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants are said to promote health benefits; however, while scientists agree that cacao percentages higher than 75% are important to gain a beneficial concentration of flavanols, there has been no scientific determination of how much chocolate should be consumed to achieve these health benefits. The actual levels of flavanol content may fluctuate widely depending upon the species and subspecies of bean, recipe, processing practices, and storage and handling conditions.