How is it possible that such a high-fat, sugar-laden treat can be good for you?
Studies are showing that regularly eating dark chocolate is good for the whole body, especially the heart
The real answer is that not all chocolate is equal. Most research states that it is the dark chocolate, with at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, that is the better type for your health. Even though this dark type of chocolate still includes sugar, the cocoa is full of health benefits and therefore, apparently, counteracts the sugar’s negative effects.
The key ingredients in cocoa are the flavanols, which are a subgroup of natural antioxidant plant compounds called flavanoids (it always comes back to the antioxidants; it can’t be stressed enough how important it is to include these in your diet).
Flavanoids are well known for their heart-healthy properties (J. Intern. Med., 2009). To enforce this statement, the Kuna Indians of Panama regularly consume large amounts of flavanol-rich cocoa and are virtually free of hypertension and stroke, despite the volume of salt added to their food (J. Nutr., 2008).
Unfortunately, most commercial chocolate is low in flavanols because these create a bitter taste; so many manufacturers choose to sacrifice these compounds for the sake of flavour. Generally, the higher the percentage of cocoa solids in a chocolate product, the more bitter the taste and the higher the flavanol levels.
Much of the fat in chocolate is present in the form of stearic triglycerides, which increase good HDL cholesterol and are readily cleared from the body through the gut (Circulation, 2007). In addition, the fat slows the rate at which the sugar is released into the bloodstream, making dark chocolate a low glycaemic index food.
Studies are showing that regularly eating dark chocolate is good for the whole body, especially the heart. Just a few squares a day are all you need to reap the benefits. Here are some of the benefits to make you feel better about eating your dark Easter egg:
Dark chocolate seems to increase the good HDL cholesterol while lowering the bad LDL cholesterol. It has also been shown to reduce blood clots and improve the function of the endothelium, the inner lining of the arteries, responsible for producing nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and helps keep the arteries clear of obstruction (Circulation, 2007).
It also has a positive effect on blood pressure. Just a couple of squares of dark chocolate each day were able to significantly lower blood pressure in a group of adults with mild hypertension (the dark type of chocolate).
Here comes the good news. Scientists from the University of California at San Diego studied 1,000 men and women and found that those who regularly ate chocolate were thinner than those who indulged less often.
Those with the chocolate habit didn’t eat fewer calories than the others, or exercise more often, but they did have significantly lower BMI scores. The researchers think that chocolate’s metabolism-boosting effects might be the reason why, in moderation, it doesn’t seem to make you fat (Arch. Intern. Med., 2012).
You could try chocolate when you have an annoying cough. UK research has suggested that a mug of hot chocolate or a chocolate bar can be more effective than the cough-suppressing drug codeine.
A trial held at the Imperial College London found that theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate, helped those who had a cough. To get the same amount of theobromine used in the trial, you need to drink two cups of cocoa (FASEB J., 2005).
Just eating a few squares of chocolate each day can help protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation. After three months of eating chocolate rich in flavanols, a group of volunteers saw their minimum erythema dose (the dose of UV needed to make the skin go red) more than double, while another group eating low-flavanol chocolate saw no changes. The amount they ate was just 20 g a day or the equivalent of around six squares of a standard well-known dark chocolate bar (J. Cosmet. Dermatol., 2009).
Surprisingly, another research study carried out in Italy found that the dark type of chocolate could help to prevent type 2 diabetes. The study found that eating 100 g per day of dark chocolate for two weeks improved insulin sensitivity in healthy volunteers (Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 2005).
Finally, if you have had a heart attack, a bar of chocolate is probably the last thing you would think of. However, evidence from Sweden suggests it may just save your life by cutting the risk of having another heart attack in the future.
More than 1,000 heart-attack survivors were questioned about their chocolate consumption, then followed up for eight years to study how their health fared. The researchers discovered that the more chocolate eaten, the lower the risk of death due to heart disease, even after taking into account other factors such as smoking, alcohol intake and obesity. Those who regularly indulged in chocolate two or more times a week were up to three times less likely to die of a heart attack than those who avoided it.
So, while it may be some time before doctors start to recommend a bar of dark chocolate, it seems a little of what you fancy may do you some good.
kathryn@maltanet.net