An editorial commentary in the same journal, Cocoa beans, endothelial function and aging: an unexpected friendship?, reviews the current scientific literature backing the medicinal properties of cocoa, particularly on the role of flavonols.

But, like the editors cautioned, not all chocolates are created equal.

“… the flavanol-rich cocoa products used in experimental studies, and even present in some commercially available flavanol-rich chocolate bars that have been tested in controlled short-lasting studies, should not be confused with a number of commercially available snacks that contains many calories but are low in natural cocoa and flavanols.”

As I’ve said previously, opt for the high-fat dark chocolate. A leading chocolate manufacturer, Mars, Incorporated, claims that they have developed a patented process that helps retain as much flavonols from the cocoa beans as they are processed into chocolate. They say Dove® Dark Chocolate and CocoaVia® are processed using this procedure and are guaranteed to contain at least 100 mg of cocoa flavanols per serving.

[Photo: CocoaVia]

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Chocolate Promotes Cardiovascular Health Among the Elderly

As in the bladder, it has also been shown to prevent bacterial adhesion in the gut and teeth as well, thus preventing infections that may lead to stomach ulcers or even stomach cancer, and periodontal gum disease.

[Photo: David S. Seigler, University of Illinois]

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Cranberries Against Bacterial Infection

A specific type of tannin found only in cranberries and blueberries interacts with the little projections on the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria (the most common cause of UTI), preventing them from sticking to the walls of the bladder and causing infection.

If you’re up for more scientific reading, read the report from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

How much are you supposed to drink? This article from the Mayo Clinic offers guide based on scientific research and publications:

Recommended doses range from 90 to 480 milliliters (3 to 16 ounces) of cranberry cocktail twice daily, or 15 to 30 milliliters of unsweetened 100% cranberry juice daily. 300 milliliters per day (10 ounces) of commercially available cranberry cocktail (Ocean Spray®) has been used in well-designed research.

Other forms of cranberry used include capsules, concentrate and tinctures. Between one and six 300 to 400 milligram capsules of hard gelatin concentrated cranberry juice extract, twice daily by mouth, given with water 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals has been used. One and a half ounces of frozen juice concentrate twice daily by mouth has been used, as well as 4 to 5 milliliters of cranberry tincture three times daily by mouth. One study suggests that 500 milliliters of cranberry juice with 1500 milliliters of water was sufficient in helping prevent the formation of oxalate kidney stones.

Remember though, that this is for the prevention of bladder infections. Once the infection sets in, cranberry juice may no longer help.

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Cranberry Juice Against Bladder Infections

It also raises the issue of labelling. See, the US Food and Drug Administration is very strict on what claims food companies are allowed to write on their labels. Here’s an example:

[snip]… juice makers can claim that cranberry products help maintain urinary tract health, but they cannot say cranberry juice cocktail prevents urinary tract infections.

Personally, I’m with the FDA on this. Unless there are sound scientific evidence supporting the claims (which the FDA are constantly reviewing), labels must be specifically and carefully worded. As it is, the review process for functional foods is already more relaxed than for pharmaceuticals, so such stringency can only be for the benefit of the consumers. Afterall we don’t want to buy stuff that claims more than it can deliver, do we?

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … superfood!