A common misconception is that calcium builds bone and thus prevents osteoporosis.

 

 

In fact, the nations that consume the most calcium (USA, Canada and Scandinavia) have the worst cases of osteoporosis. The misconception dates back to the end of the 19th century, when it was discovered that bones are made of calcium. It was concluded that increasing the intake of calcium would increase bone density. Some types of calcium, such as the calcium in the oyster shell, hardly reach the bone marrow at all and increase bone density by a maximum of 1%, which is clearly too little.

 

Bone formation is promoted by two other minerals, silicon and magnesium. The best natural source of silicon and magnesium is the cocoa bean.

 

Cocoa, as is now known, is also good for the teeth. There are chemical substances in cocoa that kill caries bacteria. Many toothpaste brands contain precisely these extracts from cocoa.

Chocolate is good for the teeth, only the sugar contained in chocolate damages the teeth. However, studies conducted in Scandinavia found that despite the sugar content, people who eat chocolate have better teeth on average with fewer cavities than those who do not eat chocolate.