Chocolate: Yes or No?

As the Easter weekend approaches there’s only one food at the forefront of our minds! I was invited to answer some common questions about the sweet stuff for the brilliant e-mag Foodies Follows Foodies (see full link at the end of this article).

When should I introduce chocolate?

For the first 1-2 years of life young children should have a low sugar diet as this is the time when they are developing taste preferences and we don’t want them to become accustomed to liking or expecting sweet foods. However, it’s probably unrealistic to expect toddlers not to eat chocolate as they will start to have more opportunities to be exposed to these foods, such as at birthday parties. Rather than go out of your way to ‘introduce’ chocolate, allow small tastes as and when the opportunity arises. Remember that chocolate is just another food and over-restriction can lead children to want it more!

What's a good substitute for chocolate in baking?

 Cocoa powder is a healthier substitute to chocolate in cakes as it is lower in fat and sugar. However cocoa powder has a bitter taste which might change the flavour of the recipe. In recipes with chocolate chips, it usually works well to substitute with dried fruit like raisins or chopped dates which provide natural sweetness, as well as having other   benefits such as providing iron and dietary fibre.

Is chocolate bad for toddlers? 

 No single food is neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’ for toddlers – it’s the balance of the whole diet that’s what matters. Thus said, young children should eat mostly nutrient- and energy-dense foods to support their growth and development. Chocolate is energy-dense but it is not a good source of other important nutrients. This is why it is often given the term ‘empty calories’ and should not be a regular part of a toddler’s diet.

Why is dark chocolate meant to be ‘healthier’?

Dark (plain) chocolate is often hailed for its heart health benefits as it contains types of plant compounds called flavonoids. These act as antioxidants in the body which are known to protect against cell damage and lower the risk of high blood pressure and harmful cholesterol levels. However, this isn’t reason enough to eat lots of dark chocolate – fruits and vegetables also contain antioxidants, as well as providing lots of other nutrients and fibre too!

Doesn’t chocolate contain lots of caffeine?

The darker the chocolate, the higher the caffeine content. Milk chocolate contains about half that of plain and white chocolate contains no caffeine. But the caffeine in chocolate is far less than that in cola, tea or coffee - to put it into perspective, a cup of instant coffee has around 100mg caffeine, a mug of tea has around 75mg, a can of cola has around 40mg and a bar of plain chocolate around 25mg caffeine.

If I do choose to give them chocolate how much should I give them?

The Infant & Toddler Forum’s guide to portion sizes  suggests that 2-4 squares of chocolate, or 6-8 chocolate buttons would be a suitable portion size. With young children there is always a range when it comes to portion sizes, as they’re all different and have varying appetites from child to child and from one day to the next. Ideally chocolate should be limited to occasional mealtimes only, and no more than once a week.

How do you eat it in front of them without them wanting it?

Simply put, you can’t! Children copy what they see around them, so if you are eating chocolate and they want some then it’s just not fair to say no. If you don’t want them to want the chocolate save it for after their bedtime.

This Q&A was published in the April 2021 issue of Foodies Follow Foodies - find them on Instagram @nannyashcooks.