Chocolate- A Healthy Passion

How many times have we mentioned it here– chocolates are good for your health. Need more convincing? then grab the book, Chocolate- A Healthy Passion.

The book explores the origins of chocolate and its place in culture and traditions all over the world, and its health benefits.

Research shows that eating chocolate and natural cocoa may improve vascular health, blood pressure, cognitive health, blood flow, and skin health. According to studies by the USDA, just two tablespoons of natural cocoa have more antioxidant power than 4 cups of green tea, one cup of blueberries or one and a half glasses of red wine.

Flavanols—the compounds in chocolate found in the cocoa bean—increase blood flow, providing a protective effect against inflammation and subsequent cardiovascular disease, helping to reduce blood pressure, and even making skin look more hydrated. There are also cognitive benefits to increased circulation.

Most of these health benefits have been blogged here at Eating Fabulous, with links to pertinent scientific studies supporting these claims. What has always been disputed, though, is the form and quantity of chocolate one must consume to reap its health benefits. Dark chocolate only? Alkali processed? How much per day? According to the authors of this book:

Eating chocolate products with just 60% cocoa is sufficient for enjoying a smooth, not too bitter taste while still getting health benefits. Buying such chocolate in portion-controlled formats, such as tasting squares, allows one to enjoy the health benefits without overindulging in calories.

Feed Your Brain

Do you ever feel like you are having trouble thinking or concentrating? Does your brain get foggy throughout the day at work? Take a look at these brain foods. These brain foods aim to improve concentration, as well as better long and short term memory. Here is my list of the top ten brain foods.

Water: Water doesn’t contain any vitamins but it’s essential for your body. Dehydration is a big enemy for your brain so make sure you drink enough water throughout the day.
 
Grape juice: With a healthy amount of antioxidants, grape juice is great for brain function. It should help you short-term memory and hand-eye coordination.

Hot cocoa: If you want something sweet, consider having hot cocoa. Cocoa has antioxidants that have proven to slow the aging process. Flavanols, a natural occuring nutrient in cocoa, benefit the brain through improved blood vessel function. If you can grind fresh cocoa beans, that’s even better.

Eggs: Having eggs for breakfast is a great way to start your day. Eggs contain choline, which is great for improving your memory.

Beef: Beef has a lot of iron in it, which is vital for your brain – especially for children. Lean beef is perhaps the best source of iron available.

Olive oil: Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, is very good for your brain. It contains polyphenols which helps regulate your blood pressure.

Milk: Milk has a lot of vitamins that help your brain including phosphorus and vitamin D. It also contains a healthy amount of protein.

Spinach: If you eat a lot of salad, consider switching from lettuce to spinach. Studies show that overall spinach is nearly four times healthier for you than lettuce.

Almonds: Although almonds have a relatively high amount of fat, the type of fat in almonds (monounsaturated fat) is actually good for your body. Monounsaturated fat can reduce your total and LDL cholesterol while maintaining healthy levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Almonds also have a high concentration of absorable protein, vitamins and minerals.

Blueberries: Blueberries are the ultimate brain food. Not only are they a fantastic source for antioxidants, berries also have many other vitamins and minerals helping your brain. Blueberries are said to improve cognition, maintain brain function and improve memory.

Photo credit: Sanja Gjenero, Brad Harrison - Stock.xchng

^{Portions of the post were originally published by Kori Ellis at ShapeSpot}

Resveratrol, Also in Chocolate and Cocoa

According to a study sponsored by the Hershey Company, the antioxidant compound resveratrol found in grapes skin (and thus red wine) is also present in substantial amounts in cocoa and chocolate products. In fact, they say cocoa/chocolate products are second to red wine among known sources of resveratrol.

In the study, top selling retail products from six categories were tested for the level of resveratrol and its sister compound, piceid. The six product categories included cocoa powder, baking chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet baking chips, milk chocolate and chocolate syrup. Gram for gram, cocoa powder had the highest average amount of resveratrol and piceid, followed by baking chocolates, dark chocolates, semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate and then chocolate syrup. In the products studied, the level of piceid was 3 to 6 times the level of resveratrol.

That could mean that chocolate is doubly good for cardiovascular health: resveratrol, plus flavanols! And, it’s alcohol-free, so it’s perfectly suitable for those who need to stay off alcoholic beverages such as wine!

Antioxidants in Dutched (Alkali-Processed) Chocolates

Most of the research I read (and therefore write about) regarding the cardiovascular health benefits of flavanols in chocolate are studies funded by Mars, Inc. This is not to say that other chocolate makers are not doing scientific research on chocolate; in fact Hershey’s also published results that Hershey’s Extra Dark Chocolate as well as Hershey’s Natural Cocoa lowered blood pressure and improved endothelial function in a study of 45 patients.

The difference between the research of these two chocolate factories? Mars suggests that its products are superior because of their proprietary processing called Cocoapro® that helps ensure consistently high levels of cocoa flavanols in the products.

A recent study conducted by Hershey’s, on the other hand, reports that while natural cocoa products indeed have highest antioxidant levels, even lightly- or medium-Dutched processed (also termed alkali-processed) cocoa powders still retain significant levels of the beneficial antioxidants.

Dutching, or alkali treatment, of cocoa is a 180-year-old process used to lower the bitterness and darken the color of cocoa powder. Dutched cocoas are commonly used in beverages such as chocolate milk and hot cocoa mixes, in cakes and cookies, and in a limited number of confections. In the United States, the presence of Dutched cocoa or Dutched chocolate is indicated by looking for the terms “dutched” or “processed with alkali” on the ingredients label.

In this study, the degree of cocoa alkalization caused a progressive, but not complete loss, of flavanol antioxidants, with about 40% retained in lightly dutched cocoas, 25% retained in medium dutched cocoas, and 10% retained in heavily dutched cocoas.

Apparently, despite the losses due to Dutch processing, these cocoa powders still belong to the top 10% of flavanol-containing foods when results were compared to foods listed in the USDA Procyanidin Database.

In other words, this could mean that sure, you’d probably get more antioxidants in a CocoaVia bar than in another generic chocolate bar, but considering the amount of chocolate you probably consume in other forms, you’re probably getting comparable amounts even with alkali-processed chocolate products.

Alzheimer’s News From Around the World.

Cocoa Flavanols Linked To Improved Brain Blood Flow – “Cocoa flavanols, the unique compounds found naturally in cocoa, may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal…” (more)

Language, Culture Barriers Affect Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Among Hispanics – “Language and cultural barriers cause a significant number of elderly Hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease to remain undiagnosed and untreated, experts say, the Newark Star-Ledger reports…” (more)

Study Links Statins To Dementia Prevention – “The study followed more than 1,600 people over the age of 60 for five years. Those who were taking a cholesterol-lowering statin such as Lipitor, had a surprising result…” (more)

Dual diabetes drugs help stave off Alzheimer’s – “Diabetics who take insulin plus a diabetes pill have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than diabetics who take insulin alone…” (more)

Could Chocolate Help Prevent Dementia and Stroke?

Possible, according to a newly published study which indicates that cocoa flavanols increase blood flow to the brain and thus help in cognitive performance.

In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavanol-rich beverage made using the Mars, Incorporated Cocoapro® process had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks.

In this first-of-its-kind study, the researchers found both short and long-term benefits of cocoa flavanols for brain blood flow, offering future potential for the one in seven older Americans currently living with dementia. When the flow of blood to the brain slows over time, the result may be structural damage and dementia. Scientists speculate that maintaining an increased blood flow to the brain could slow this cognitive decline.

The study has been published recently in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, but the story is no longer new to me though. I’ve already blogged about a report on the effects of flavanol on the blood flow to the brain more than a year ago. Perhaps the same data set, just took longer to publish?

Image from CocoaVia.com

Synthetic Flavanol May Treat Colon Cancer

Studies on flavanols have repeatedly shown these compounds to be effective in preventing and/or treating a variety of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and mental health degeneration.

Now, scientists have been able to produce a synthetic version of flavanols, which are naturally found in cacao (chocolates!). In a recent study, they have shown in cell studies that this synthetic version, administered in doses considered similar to what a person might eat or use, may prevent and /or treat cancer, particularly colon cancer.

Erm, maybe I’m missing something. Why would I want a synthetic version, when I could have chocolates instead?!?

Cocoa Flavanols May Improves Vascular Functions in Diabetic Adults

According to the results of a new study (funded by Mars), naturally occurring compounds in cocoa called flavanols may help those who have type-2 diabetes. These findings are relate to previously documented effects of cocoa/chocolate on cardiovascular functions.

In this study, the impact of both immediate and regular consumption of a flavanol-rich cocoa drink on vascular function in diabetic adults was investigated. In the first part of this study, medically-treated adults with type 2 diabetes — a population known to have impaired blood vessel function, putting them at higher risk for cardiovascular disease — drank a well-characterized and standardized cocoa beverage made using the Mars Cocoapro process that contained different flavanol levels, ranging from 75 to 963 milligrams, and had their blood vessel function measured for several hours following consumption. The researchers found a positive correlation between the flavanol dose consumed and immediate improvements in FMD (flow mediated dilation, a measure of vessel health, i.e. the ability of a vessel to relax).

In a subsequent controlled 30-day, double-masked clinical trial, adults with established diabetes who were medically controlled, drank either a flavanol-containing cocoa beverage or a low-flavanol control three times a day. The cocoa beverages contained either 25 milligrams of cocoa flavanols (control) or 321 milligrams of cocoa flavanols (treatment) and were matched for calories, nutrients and other cocoa compounds such as theobromine and caffeine.

Beyond the immediate improvements in FMD following flavanol consumption, participants experienced sustained improvements in blood vessel function upon consuming the flavanol-containing cocoa over a period of 30 days (30 percent increase in FMD between day one and 30).

If you’d like to read the manuscript detailing this study, here’s the citation:

Balzer J, Rassaf T, Heiss C, Kleinbongard P, Lauer T, Merx M, Heussen N, Gross HB, Keen CL, Schroeter H, Kelm M. Sustained benefits in vascular function through flavanol-containing cocoa in medicated diabetic patients: A double-masked, randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;51:2141-2149.

Could cocoa help diabetics fight heart disease?

Here is one for you… and it involves something yummy!

For people with diabetes, sipping a mug of steaming, flavorful cocoa may seem a guilty pleasure. But new research suggests that indulging a craving for cocoa can actually help blood vessels to function better and might soon be considered part of a healthy diet for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

It is important to note that the reason for the positive spin on cocoa has to do with natural plant compounds, ie. flavanols. In no way is Dr. Kelm suggesting that diabetes should guzzle cocoa, but dietary flavanols hold promise as a way to prevent heart disease among diabetics.

to read more about this chocolate research…

CocoaVia Chocolate Bars Lower Cholesterol

I’ve blogged about how CocoaVia snack bars may lower cholesterol levels. Well, a new study indicates that apart from this, eating two CocoaVia dark chocolate bars a day also lowers systolic blood pressure.

The study, funded in part by Mars Inc., the company that makes the bars, was published in this month’s Journal of Nutrition.

Erdman attributes the drop in cholesterol numbers (total cholesterol by 2 percent and LDL or “bad” cholesterol by 5.3 percent) to the plant sterols that have been added to the bar and the drop in blood pressure to the flavanols found in dark chocolate.

The authors are quick to say that the results were not influenced by the fact that Mars funded the study. Me? I don’t need an excuse to eat chocolate

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