[Effie_drine]

A Chocolate a day Keeps Heart Disease Away?

Not much of a red wine drinker? A new study finds small, daily doses of dark chocolate may have the same effects on health.

Researchers say when healthy people ate small amounts of flavonoid-rich chocolate every day for two weeks, they boosted the functions of their blood vessels. The chocolate improved the blood vessels’ ability to dilate, and at the same time, epicatechin -- a flavonoid thought to be beneficial for blood vessel function -- was absorbed at higher levels in the blood.

Researchers suggest that the higher levels of epicatechin triggered the release of substances that increase blood flow in the artery. “Better blood flow is good for your heart,” says lead author Mary Engler, Ph.D., R.N., a professor of physiological nursing at the University of California-San Francisco School of Nursing.

She says arteries that are able to dilate more have increased blood flow, an important step in lowering the risk of heart disease. Plus, the daily snacks of chocolate did not increase the cholesterol levels of the study’s participants.

Flavonoids are chemical compounds that are found in plants. Past studies have shown flavonoids have antioxidant properties and are particularly helpful to the cardiovascular system by decreasing the body’s inflammatory immune responses, regulating blood platelets, and decreasing oxidation of LDL cholesterol -- a process that allows cholesterol to accumulate in the vessels.

Several years ago, scientists discovered that dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other foods that have been tested so far, including green and black tea, red wine, and blueberries. The authors say standard manufacturing of chocolate removes about a quarter to half of its flavonoids, but now some companies are using different processing methods to preserve as much as 70 percent to 95 percent of the flavonoids.

“There’s little doubt that in moderation and in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet and exercise we can enjoy -- and even benefit from -- moderate amounts of high-flavonoid dark chocolate,” says Engler.

SOURCE: Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2004;23:197-204

[Delmar]

Hi Effie,
Great post on chocolate benefits and some benefits are:
Chocolate is great anti depressant and antioxidant and helps in lowering high blood pressure. Chocolate prevents from cancer, tooth decay and heart disease by lowering cholesterol level.