Benefits Of Dark Chocolate

Healing essence of chocolate

Antioxidant

Cardioprotective

Neuroprotective

Anti-hypertensive

The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) is tree native to the forest of South America and provides the key raw materials (cocoa powder and cocoa butter) used in the manufacture of chocolate, the most widely used spice in the confectionery industry.

In spite of its association with "unhealthy" fattening foods cocoa, like all other spices, has very important health benefits. Unfortunately its positive attributes are often countered by the other ingredients with which it is mixed; but at least it mitigates, to a certain degree, the adverse effects of a diet rich in refined sugar and fat.

Medicinal Properties

Cocoa has one of the highest antioxidant activities of all foods.

Alzheimer's disease

Two of cocoa's most important phytonutrients, catechin and epicatechin protect against damage by a protein called beta-amyloid – the principal underlying cause of Alzheimer's disease.

High Blood pressure

Flavonol compounds in chocolate stimulate the production of nitric oxide by the endothelial lining of arteries. Increased nitric oxide production stimulates the dilatation of blood vessels thus contributing to better blood flow and a reduction in blood pressure.

Heart disease and stroke

A two year long study in Sweden found those people who consumed chocolate at least three times per week had a reduced risk of death from heart attacks.

Studies show that the flavonols in chocolate also mitigate against brain damage caused by the most common form of stroke (ischemic stroke). Not only do these antioxidants help maintain circulation to the brain but they also stimulate a protective enzyme in the brain that reduces the damage caused by an ischemic stroke.

Diabetes

Another randomized placebo controlled trial showed that a daily dose of cocoa improved the circulation in diabetics.

As all diabetics suffer from oxidative stress aggravated by a pathological process called "molecular memory" chocolate's potent antioxidant compounds probably protect against this pernicious activity as well.

How Much Chocolate is Enough?

Scientific references

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3. Chocolate consumption, fecal water antioxidant activity, and hydroxyl radical production. Nutr Cancer. 2003;47(2):131-5. Record IR, McInerney JK, Noakes M, Bird AR.

4. Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003 Feb;103(2):215-23. Steinberg FM, Bearden MM, Keen CL.

5. Sustained Benefits in Vascular Function Through Flavanol-Containing Cocoa in Medicated Diabetic Patients: A Double-Masked, Randomized, Controlled Trial J Am Coll Cardiol 2008;51:2141-2149. Balzer J, Rassaf T, et al.

6. Cocoa has more phenolic phytochemicals and a higher antioxidant capacity than teas and red wine. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Dec 3;51(25):7292-5.Lee KW, Kim YJ, Lee HJ, Lee CY.

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8. Dietary flavanols and procyanidin oligomers from cocoa (Theobroma cacao) inhibit platelet function. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jun;77(6):1466-73.Murphy KJ, Chronopoulos AK, Singh I, et. Al.

9. Cocoa polyphenols and inflammatory mediators Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81:304S-312S. Sies H, Schewe T, Heiss C, Kelm M.

10. Does chocolate reduce blood pressure? A meta-analysis BMC Medicine 2010, 8:39 Karin Ried et. al

11. Effect of cocoa flavanols and their related oligomers on the secretion of interleukin-5 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. J Med Food. 2002 Spring;5(1):17-22. Mao TK, Van de Water J, Keen CL, Schmitz HH, Gershwin ME.

12. Evidence that the antioxidant flavonoids in tea and cocoa are beneficial for cardiovascular health. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2002 Feb;13(1):41-9. Kris-Etherton PM, Keen CL

13. Intake of flavonoid-rich wine, tea, and chocolate by elderly men and women is associated with better cognitive test performance. J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):120-7 Nurk E, Refsum H, Drevon CA, Tell GS, Nygaard HA, Engedal K, Smith AD.

14. Regular consumption of a flavanol-rich chocolate can improve oxidant stress in young soccer players. Clin Dev Immunol. 2005 Mar;12(1):11-7. Fraga CG, et. al.

15. The flavanol (−)-epicatechin prevents stroke damage through the Nrf2/HO1 pathway Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism 5 May 2010; doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2010.53 Zahoor A et alJ Agric Food Chem. 2005 Mar 9;53(5):1445-8. Heo HJ, Lee CY.