By Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist

On November 22, 1995, Disney-Pixar released the animated film Toy Story. The music for the film was created by singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, conductor and composer Randy Newman. Since the 1980s, Newman has written songs for 18 Disney films including the Toy Story series and Monsters, Inc. In 2007, Newman was named a Disney Legend.  

In the score for the original Toy Story movie, Newman composed music titled Presents for the film. Although he is better known for many other hits, he has a distinctive style when you hear his musical scores. His artistry was recognized in 2013 with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

During the Christmas season, we can be stumped when trying to select presents for our family or friends. Chocolate is a popular gift chosen by about 50% of gift givers at the holidays.  Chocolate is considered a universal gift and at the holidays, we often splurge on buying premium brands to give as gifts. This explains the location of certain chocolate brands near the cash registers as part of impulse buying.  

Does the type of chocolate purchased make a difference and how does it impact our health?

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A 2024 study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) evaluated chocolate consumption and its impact on the development of type 2 diabetes. The data was from the Nurses’ Health Study, which gathered information from 192,208 nurses over 34 years. The researchers compared dark chocolate versus milk chocolate intake on the development of diabetes after controlling for other dietary and lifestyle choices.

The study reported the nurses who ate 5 ounces or more of dark chocolate each week had a 21% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes when compared to nurses who did not eat chocolate at all or who ate less than 5 ounces per week. When the researchers compared 5 ounces or more each week of milk chocolate, the benefit no longer existed in reducing type 2 diabetes, but substantially increased the risk for weight gain.

In 2022, another study was published demonstrating the benefits of dark chocolate for promoting gut wellness. Dark chocolate is a good source of prebiotics. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feed good bacteria in the gut to sustain wellness versus probiotics, which contain gut healthy bacteria. The prebiotics are needed for the probiotics. Dark chocolate is a source of fiber as well as powerful antioxidants to keep cells healthy.  

A study published in BMC Medicine reported a high rate of depression in individuals who had diets higher in sugar, butters (fats) and chocolate. The combination of these ingredients increased the risk of developing mental health issues.

How does milk chocolate compare to dark chocolate when evaluating sugar and fat content?

Dark chocolate has 50% less sugar and 65% less fat than milk chocolate. This explains why some individuals feel that dark chocolate has a bitter taste compared to milk chocolate. Both the sugar and fat help to enhance the flavor and taste for many.  

Dark chocolate may be a good present for the holidays!

ONU HealthWise offers the shingles vaccine along with flu, COVID-19 and other vaccinations. Vaccine clinics will continue through the middle of December on weekdays from 2:00-6:00 p.m.

The pharmacy is open 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 2:00-6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on Saturdays.