A Few Squares Of Dark Chocolate A Day May Stave Off Artery Hardening In Smokers
May 16, 2008 by admin
Filed under Chocolate and Smoking, Health, Healthy Dark Chocolate
ScienceDaily (Jan. 3, 2006) — Dark chocolate may stave off artery hardening in smokers, and a few squares every day could potentially cut the risk of serious heart disease, finds a small study in Heart.
Researchers compared the effects of dark (74% cocoa solids) and white chocolate on the smoothness of arterial blood flow in 20 male smokers.
In smokers the activity of both endothelial cells, which line the artery walls, and platelets, which are involved in the formation of blood clots, are continuously disrupted, making the arteries susceptible to the narrowing and hardening characteristic of coronary artery disease. Read more
Flavanols Key To Potential Chocolate Benefits
May 14, 2008 by admin
Filed under Chocolate and Smoking, Health, Healthy Dark Chocolate
ScienceDaily (Sep. 29, 2005) — Phytochemicals known as flavanols, which are found in chocolate, fruits and vegetables, can boost the levels of nitric oxide in the blood of smokers and reverse some of their smoking-related impairment in blood vessel function, according to a new study in the Oct. 4, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“While the long-term benefits of such improvements remain to be established, we believe that one exciting outcome of this study is the demonstration Read more