The Heart-Health Benefits of Chocolate Unveiled

It is no secret that fruits, vegetables and grains convey health benefits - we’ve been told that for years. But did you know that chocolate could result in health benefits, more specifically heart-health benefits?

What are flavonoids?

Flavonoids are naturally-occurring compounds found in plant-based foods recognized as exuding certain health benefits.

Flavonoids are found in a wide array of foods and beverages, such as cranberries, apples, peanuts, Read more

Consumption Of Small Amounts Of Dark Chocolate Associated With Reduction In Blood Pressure

Previous research has indicated that consumption of high amounts of cocoa-containing foods can lower blood pressure (BP), believed to be due to the action of the cocoa polyphenols (a group of chemical substances found in plants, some of which, such as the flavanols, are believed to be beneficial to health). (Credit: iStockphoto/Richard Waller)ScienceDaily (Jul. 5, 2007) — Eating about 30 calories a day of dark chocolate was associated with a lowering of blood pressure, without weight gain or other adverse effects, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA. Read more

Heart-healthy Compound In Chocolate Identified

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2006) — In a multifaceted study involving the Kuna Indians of Panama, an international team of scientists has pinpointed a chemical compound that is, in part, responsible, for the heart-healthy benefits of certain cocoas and some chocolate products.

The researchers, who are from the University of California, Davis; the Heinrich-Heine University of Duesseldorf, Germany; and Harvard Medical School, hope the findings will lead to new dietary or medicinal methods for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health. Read more

New Process Boosts Levels Of Heart-healthy Compounds In Cocoa Powder

Cocoa beans — the source of chocolate — in a cacao pod. (Credit: Photo by Keith Weller; courtesy of USDA/Agricultural Research Service)ScienceDaily (May 10, 2007) — Scientists in Spain are reporting development of a new process to make cocoa powder with higher amounts of the healthful chemical compounds linked to chocolate’s beneficial effects. The study is scheduled for publication in the May 30 issue of ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Read more

Foods Rich in Cocoa Appear to Reduce Blood Pressure

ScienceDaily (Apr. 11, 2007) — Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Current guidelines advise individuals with hypertension (high blood pressure) to eat more fruits and vegetables, according to background information in the article. Compounds known as polyphenols or Read more

Dangers at Bay

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) — People who couldn’t stomach a medical study requiring them to give up chocolate ended up helping science, anyway.

These chocoholics’ blood platelets displayed a reduced tendency to clot together in dangerous clumps, researchers found.

Billed as the “first biochemical analysis” on the subject, the finding may explain why chocolate can be good for the heart.

“Chocolate that’s flavonoid-rich, that’s dark, that’s good quality, that’s not traveling with all of its bad friends like sugar and fat, probably has some fairly potent pro-health benefits, although not as strong as Read more

Dark Thoughts

A bit of dark chocolate may do more than just tickle your taste buds.

Eating about 3 1/2 ounces of dark chocolate helped relax people’s blood vessels in a recent study, which could help protect cardiovascular health. So go ahead and indulge, but don’t overdo it; dark chocolate is still high in calories and fat.

A recent study finds evidence that eating a little bit of chocolate may be good for your health. In the study, Read more

Dark chocolate may fight off heart attacks

By LEE BOWMAN,
Scripps Howard News Service

BOSTON (February 17, 2002 9:04 a.m. EST) - There’s more evidence that cocoa rich in cholesterol-battling antioxidants helps ward off some of the factors associated with heart attacks and stroke, scientists lecturing here Friday during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science said.

The antioxidants in chocolate are called flavonoids, potent plant compounds also found in tea, red wine and Read more

Do you love chocolate?

Of course you do. Five ways to pick the heart-healthy kind

You could practically hear women cheering in the streets when recent studies linked compounds in chocolate to heart health. But before you raid the candy aisle in the name of wellness, be aware that not all chocolate is rich in flavonols, the antioxidantlike superstars that earn the treat its good-for-you reputation. All chocolate foods, including cocoa powder and bars, are made from cacao beans. (Yes, cacao is spelled correctly.) However, “the way Read more