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Why Chocolate Is Good For Heart Disease
By admin | May 25, 2010
Chocolate has a bad reputation because of the high content of sugar usually found with it. Contrary to public opinion, chocolate is actually beneficial for the heart, of course sugar is not. In what way you may ask? Pure chocolate, without high sugar content, has proven itself in studies to counteract heart disease. Here are some of the ways it does this:
- Antioxidants are found abundantly in chocolate. They reduce free-radicals that cause inflammation, the chief dynamic of heart disease.
- Flavonoids, present in plant substances like chocolate, likewise help reduce oxidative damage and inflammation because they are good anti-oxidants. They are associated with reduction of cytokines that are toxic irritants. Degenerative diseases and tumors are reduced. Good studies demonstrate that flavonoids turn on favorable genes that affect degenerative disease in a positive way. Good studies at Harvard, Sloan Kettering and John Hopkins research centers have shown reduction of cancers associated with the flavonoids. Aside from their anti-oxidant effect they also act as signaling molecules to turn off NFkB, a culprit believe to promote degenerative disease and tumors.
- Epicatechin is another anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory compound that quells inflammation. It is a poly phenolic anti-oxidant. (Poly phenols have electrons to give that satisfy hungry free radicals that otherwise cause inflammation.)
- Essential minerals, like magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper and iron are found in dark chocolate. Magnesium and potassium are especially critical for good heart health.
- Organic acids, namely stearic and oleic acids, help fight cholesterol accumulation.
As already stated, heart disease is ultimately a product of inflammation. Dark chocolate is also shown to reduce the risk factor, high blood pressure. It also helps insulin sensitivity, a major problem for type II diabetics. Both high blood pressure and diabetes II are major enemies of heart disease. The American Diabetes Association says that over 65% of all diabetics will die of heart disease.
Doctors Health Press reports on a major study done in 2005 in Italy. Only 15 subjects were followed, but a significant reduction of high blood pressure was noted. A comparison was made between white and dark chocolate. The white chocolate has no cocoa and flavonoids like the dark chocolate does. The concluding remarks of the study found that blood pressure was reduced only in the dark chocolate consumers. It was believe to be effective because it helped blood flow by relaxing the arteries, allowing expansion and contraction in a more normal fashion.
A similar study was reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association and they found the same results. The dark chocolate reduced blood pressure whereas the white chocolate did not.
Pure dark chocolate is not pleasant in taste, so sugar is always added. To gain a benefit and enjoy eating it, just remember to minimize sugar intake from all sources and then also minimize the sugar needed in dark chocolate to make it tasty, and still have the desired benefits of helping high blood pressure and heart disease…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.
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Topics: Alternative, Health, Heart Disease, alternative health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes II, hypertension | No Comments »