Easter is coming, and Suffolk students are buying chocolates to celebrate the holiday.

“I’m a chocolate lover. I prefer milk chocolate because I like the taste,” Billie Vanthomme, 18, a visual arts student from Yaphank, said. “I don’t care about the ingredients. Milk chocolate is better.”

According to YouGov, data in 2021 showed 49% of Americans tend to milk chocolates, in contrast, 34% enjoy dark chocolate, while 11% chose white chocolate as their favorite.

But many people aren’t aware of dark chocolate’s health benefits. Dark chocolate contains two to three times more flavanol-rich cocoa solids than milk chocolates, which can help to lower blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity and protect the heart, according to Cleveland Clinic.

A study in The Journal on Appetite revealed that people who occasionally consumed milk chocolate were severely prone to the risk of developing diabetes in the next five years, compared to those who consumed dark chocolate at least once weekly.

Since milk chocolates contain more sugar and high saturated fat, the high-energy food will cause the risks of excess weight and cardiovascular disease.

Taking dark chocolate instead will resist the appetite and increase the feeling of fullness so that the amount of food will be controlled effectively to achieve the goal of keeping fit.

Allison Vargas, 21, a psychology major from Mastic, is another chocolate lover. She said she had all kinds of chocolate at home and ate them every day, but she never pays attention to the beneficial facts about chocolate. “Eating chocolates is sensational and that can make me happy,” she said.

A marketing report by the Chocolate Professor shows that since 2016, the U.S. chocolate and confectionery industry has grown by 21%. from $2.3 billion to $2.8 billion in sales. Milk chocolate remains the chocolate Americans turn to most.

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Dark chocolates have been proven to be good for your health. However, portion control is a key factor to achieve it. The recommended daily amount is approximately 2 ounces, experts say. Any overindulgence will cause potential health risks, after all, it is high-calorie snacks.

After knowing the benefits of dark chocolates and aging, should life habits be changed?

“I will change to eating dark chocolates in the future,” said Vargas, after realizing the beneficial facts of dark chocolates. “I want to enjoy the wonderful taste but also to keep in shape as well.”