But these phenolic compounds taste so bitter they make raw cocoa almost inedible. And this is where food processing steps in.
Dark chocolate is higher in bitter phytochemicals, which children do not tend to enjoy, so milk chocolate and white chocolate are popular choices for kids. Photo / 123rf
Sugar, milk fat and other ingredients are added to make milk chocolate – the amount of cocoa used is small. By the time you get to “white chocolate” there is no cocoa at all.
Overall, studies on the health benefits of chocolate show very weak evidence that chocolate is good for our health.
If there is a benefit, it comes from very dark, bitter, chocolate with a high proportion of cocoa (and phytochemicals), which children tend not to like. Dark chocolate sometimes gives adults a “mood boost” as it contains caffeine.
All types of chocolate are classed as “discretionary” foods, the same as biscuits, cake and sugary drinks. This means they should be considered as treats.
As a rough guide, kids aged 2 to 3 should not have more than one serve per day of discretionary foods, and for older kids, up to three serves per day. Translating this into “chocolate”, a serve of chocolate would be 25–30g. An average hollow chocolate Easter egg weighs in at around 100g.
But it is okay for children to have some chocolate as a treat. Kids are not going to go sugar crazy if they enjoy eating their bunny or have some extra chocolate over the Easter break.
If children eat only chocolate through the day, this could lead to a sugar crash and leave kids hungry and cranky at bedtime. So make sure you fill them up with real food before letting them at the chocolate eggs.
Babies should not be offered chocolate as it will sensitise them to overly sweet flavours. But those more than 6 months’ old can join in the fun with a “real egg” hard-boiled.
It is okay for kids to have chocolate as a treat. Photo / 123rf
How can you manage Easter festivities?
When planning treats for your kids, there are a few things you can do to manage the chocolate:
If you are buying eggs and bunnies, compare the weight of products to help you choose a suitable serving size for your child’s age;
Use small, individually wrapped eggs in your egg hunt. Smaller pre-wrapped portions help parents manage consumption over time without nagging and demonising chocolate as a “bad food”;
Ask family members to buy an alternative gift such as a book or game to reduce the sheer quantity of chocolates entering the house at Easter;
Remember bunnies eat carrots too! Offer savoury snacks before the chocolate to help fill them up with essential nutrients before they have their treats.
Clare Dix is a research fellow in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Queensland. Helen Truby is a professorial research fellow at the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. Stella Boyd-Ford is a research fellow with Grow&Go Toolbox at the University of Queensland.
