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It's
the best medical news in ages.
Studies in two prestigious scientific journals say dark chocolate
-- but not white chocolate or milk chocolate -- is good for you.
What is it about dark chocolate?
The answer is plant phenols -- cocoa phenols, to be exact. These
compounds are known to lower blood pressure.
Chocolates
made in Europe are generally richer in cocoa phenols than those
made in the U.S. So if you're going to try this at home, remember:
Darker is better.
What
are flavonoids?
Flavonoids
are naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based foods recognized
as exuding certain health benefits.
Flavonoids
are naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based foods recognized
as exuding certain health benefits.
Flavonoids
are found in a wide array of foods and beverages, such as cranberries,
apples, peanuts, chocolate, onions, tea and red wine. There are
more than 4,000 flavonoid compounds; flavonoids are a subgroup
of a large class called polyphenols.
Have you had your flavonoids today?
While not
a question normally asked at a social gathering, flavonoids have
become quite a hot topic in the media and in scientific journals.
Flavonoids
provide important protective benefits to plants, such as in repairing
damage and shielding from environmental toxins. When we consume
plant-based foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also
benefit from this "antioxidant" power. Antioxidants
are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by
free radicals, formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing
or environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke. When the body
lacks adequate levels of antioxidants, free radical damage ensues,
leading to increases in LDL-cholesterol oxidation and plaque formation
on arterial walls.
In addition
to their antioxidant capabilities, flavonoids also:
- Are thought
to help reduce platelet activation
- May affect
the relaxation capabilities of blood vessels
- May positively
affect the balance of certain hormone-like compounds called
eicosanoids, which are thought to play a role in cardiovascular
health.
Dark
Chocolate Is Healthy Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Has Health Benefits Not Seen in
Other Varieties
By Daniel DeNoon
Dark chocolate
-- not white chocolate -- lowers high blood pressure, say Dirk
Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne,
Germany. Their report appears in the Aug. 27 issue of The Journal
of the American Medical Association.
But that's no license to go on a chocolate binge. Eating more
dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure -- if you've reached
a certain age and have mild high blood pressure, say the researchers.
But you have to balance the extra calories by eating less of other
things.
Antioxidants in Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate
-- but not milk chocolate or dark chocolate eaten with milk --
is a potent antioxidant, report Mauro Serafini, PhD, of Italy's
National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, and
colleagues. Their report appears in the Aug. 28 issue of Nature.
Antioxidants gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that
are implicated in heart disease and other ailments.
"Our
findings indicate that milk may interfere with the absorption
of antioxidants from chocolate ... and may therefore negate the
potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate
amounts of dark chocolate."
Translation:
Say "Dark, please," when ordering at the chocolate counter.
Don't even think of washing it down with milk. And if health is
your excuse for eating chocolate, remember the word "moderate"
as you nibble.
Quotes from
Cleveland Clinic Heart Center
It is not
secret that fruits, vegetables and grains convey health benefits
- we've been told that for years. But did you know that chocolate
could result in health benefits, more specifically heart-health
benefits?
The Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled
It is not secret that fruits, vegetables and grains convey health
benefits - we've been told that for years. But did you know that
chocolate could result in health benefits, more specifically heart-health
benefits?
Forms
of Chocolate
Before you
grab a chocolate candy bar or slice of chocolate cake, let's look
at what forms of chocolate would be ideal over others:
When cocoa
is processed into your favorite chocolate products, it goes through
several steps to reduce its naturally pungent taste. Flavonoids
(polyphenols) provide this pungent taste. The more chocolate is
processed (such as fermentation, alkalizing, roasting), the more
flavonoids are lost.
To date, dark chocolate appears to retain the highest level of
flavonoids. So your best bet is to choose dark chocolate over
milk chocolate.
Some chocolate manufacturers are studying ways to retain the highest
level of flavonoids while still providing acceptable taste. Stay
tuned for more information in this area.
What about all of the fat in chocolate?
You may be
surprised to find out that chocolate isn't as bad as once perceived.
The fat in chocolate, from cocoa butter, is comprised of equal
amounts of oleic acid (a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat also
found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids. Stearic and palmitic
acids are forms of saturated fat. Saturated fats are linked to
increases in LDL-cholesterol and risk for heart disease.
Research indicates
that stearic acid appears to have a neutral effect on cholesterol,
neither raising nor lowering LDL-cholesterol levels. Palmitic
acid on the other hand, does affect cholesterol levels but only
comprises one-third of the fat calories in chocolate.
This great
news does not give us a license to consume as much dark chocolate
as we'd like.
First,
be cautious as to the type of dark chocolate you choose: chewy
caramel-marshmallow-nut-covered dark chocolate is by no means
a heart-healthy food option. What wreaks havoc on most chocolate
products is the additional fat and calories added from other ingredients.
Second,
there is currently no established serving of chocolate to reap
the touted cardiovascular benefits. However, what we do know is
you no longer need to feel guilty if you enjoy a small piece of
dark chocolate once in awhile.
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