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Chocolate A Boost for Health

Chocolate is one of the favourite foods of people all around the world, and it is generally considered an effective way to boost passion and positive moods. However, its health benefits are not as widely acknowledged as its status as an ideal gift for Valentine’s Day. In ancient times even before chocolate was enjoyed for its delicious taste, it was believed to promote good health and to be useful for medicinal purposes. For centuries it has been used to treat a variety of conditions including fevers and digestive problems. Today, through research, scientists are discovering that yesterday’s health-giving beliefs about chocolate may just hold some truth.

Chocolate contains nutrients and other components that are important and essential nutrients for good health, including minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper. These minerals are essential for bodily health and are used in actions such as muscle contraction, energy storage, growth, and nervous activity.

The most interesting natural constituents of chocolate are the compounds known as flavanols, many of which have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that are thought to help slow down cell damage and may be associated with a reduced risk of ageing disorders, heart disease and some cancers.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that chocolate flavanols may contribute to good heart health, with regard to:

•      Eating chocolate rich in flavanols may reduce oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and help protect blood vessels against oxidative damage. Both free radical damage and poor blood vessel health are recognized factors in the development of heart and vascular disease.

•      Blood platelets contribute to clotting of the blood and make a heart attack or stroke more likely in susceptible individuals, while chocolate flavanols may reduce platelet activity and increase the time it takes for blood to clot. These effects are similar to those seen with aspirin. Aspirin is widely used to reduce platelet activity in people at risk of coronary heart disease, or deep vein thrombosis, and to treat patients that have suffered a heart attack or stroke.

•      Research suggests that certain cocoa flavanols may increase levels of nitric oxide in the blood stream. Nitric oxide opens up arteries to increase blood flow and is therefore important in maintaining healthy blood pressure and, in turn, heart health. This may help to explain why there is such a low incidence of age-related high blood pressure among the Kuna Indians-a tribe living on islands off the coast of Panama in South America, who have a diet rich in cocoa, a major ingredient from which chocolate is made.

Chocolate Q & As

Q: How much chocolate needs to be eaten for the heart-health benefits?

A: Currently there are no guidelines for optimum levels of flavanols that should be consumed. Research is underway to determine a recommended daily intake of flavanols. Remember flavanols are naturally occurring compounds that people have been eating for hundreds of years and chocolate, like any other food, should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods.

Q: Are there flavanols in milk and dark chocolate?

A: Yes, but the level of flavanols depends on several factors. Flavanols naturally occur in cacao plants, which are the characteristic ingredients in both milk and dark chocolate. In general, dark chocolate contains more cocoa than milk chocolate. However, a chocolate product containing a high level of cocoa does not necessarily mean that in its finished state it will contain a high level of natural flavanols. The way in which the cocoa beans are handled affects the amount of the natural flavanols retained in the finished chocolate. White chocolate does not contain any cocoa flavanols.

Q: Isn’t chocolate high in fat that raises cholesterol?

A: Scientific studies dating back to more than 40 years have repeatedly shown that the fat in chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol. Chocolate contains about nine grams of fat per ounce, saturated and unsaturated.  There are two kinds of saturated fats in chocolate: palmitic and stearic acids. Unlike other saturated fats, studies have shown that stearic acid has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol. Chocolate also contains mono-unsaturated fat, namely oleic acid, which is the same type of fat as olive oil and scientists agree it may have beneficial effects on cholesterol levels.

Q: Isn’t chocolate going to make me fat?

A: This question is most frequently asked by girls who cannot resist the temptation and worry about their figure at the same time. Naturally, eating too much of any kind of food may lead to weight gain if the amount of calories eaten is greater than the calories burned off. Chocolate, like many foods, should be eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet that includes a moderate amount of physical activity.

Also, chocolate is less likely to cause tooth decay than some other carbohydrates, since it disappears from the mouth relatively quickly. Recent studies suggest that the flavanols in chocolate may protect the surface of the tooth against build ups of bacteria.

Q: Doesn’t chocolate contain caffeine which is not so good for health?

A: Chocolate does contain very small amounts of stimulates known as caffeine and theobromine. However, these amounts are insignificant when compared with coffee, tea and cola. Also the stimulating effects of theobromine are weak compared with those of caffeine.