Prof Tim Spector reveals the health benefits of dark chocolate: What you need to know

Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London and founder of the Zoe health app, says that chocolate is good for you - but only in certain circumstances

Chocoholics rejoice, as one of the UK's leading nutritionists has got some sweet news.

Scientist and professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London Tim Spector has claimed your favourite sweet treat could have major benefits for your health - provided it's over 70% cocoa solids. According to the founder of the Zoe health app and author of the new 'Food for Life Cookbook', indulging in dark chocolate could ward off serious health conditions.

The magic lies in polyphenols - substances found in high-cacao content chocolate that help reduce inflammation - which could potentially prevent conditions like dementia, arthritis, and diabetes. In his latest Instagram update, Prof Spector said: "Everyone loves chocolate.

"I know I do, and I didn't need my book to tell me that. But my book writing has told me much more about what's in chocolate that is not only tasty but is actually good for our health." Prof Spector added: "And we're talking about chocolates that are good quality, with over 70% cacao in it, because that's all from a plant.

"And the bean itself is packed with polyphenols that are made greater by fermenting process. So those polyphenols are really healthy for us and give us a lot of the advantages of eating chocolate", he added, as reported by Gloucestershire Live.

Not just a treat for the taste buds, Prof Spector points out that top-notch chocolate also boosts fibre intake crucial since a whopping 90% of people don't meet the daily recommended 30g of fibre. He claims that upping your fibre by 5g each day could slash blood pressure significantly, even more so than cutting down on salt.

He added: "There's also fibre in it, and a normal portion of dark chocolate has over double the equivalent slice of whole grain bread in terms of fibre. So chocolate is a great thing to have as a little treat at the end of the day, knowing that as well as being super tasty, it's also really good for you, and I certainly enjoy it."

Detailing the benefits, he said: "Cocoa is a rich source of polyphenols such as flavanols which act as rocket fuel for your gut microbes, enhancing the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and reducing the number of pathogenic or bad bacteria. One study found the total polyphenol content of cocoa powder exceeds that of so called "superfoods" acai, blueberries and pomegranate."

"One thing that always surprises people is how much fibre is in chocolate too, around 712g in 100g of 70% cocoa dark chocolate which increases with the cocoa percentage. The 85% Lindt bar in this video contains 15g of fibre per 100g bar or 6g per 40g serving.

"These are significant levels when you remember that the average European eats a total of 15g or less a day although I'm not suggesting you replace vegetables with dark chocolate." He added: "Some chocolate bars will contain emulsifiers so it's best to check the label and choose the highest percentage you can enjoy to minimise the sugar content and maximise the polyphenol and fibre content."