Posted on 07/19/2005 11:03:59 AM PDT by QQQQQ
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - Dark chocolate can not only soothe your soul but can lower blood pressure too, researchers reported on Monday.
The study, published by the American Heart Association, joins a growing body of research that show compounds found in chocolate called flavonoids can help the blood vessels work more smoothly, perhaps reducing the risk of heart disease.
"Previous studies suggest flavonoid-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine and chocolate, might offer cardiovascular benefits, but this is one of the first clinical trials to look specifically at dark chocolate's effect on lowering blood pressure among people with hypertension," said Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University in Boston, who led the study.
"This study is not about eating more chocolate," Blumberg added. "It suggests that cocoa flavonoids appear to have benefits on vascular function and glucose sensitivity."
Scientists are far from being able to make specific recommendations for patients based on their research on chocolate, and nutritionists have urged people to be cautious because chocolate is high in fat, sugar and calories.
Blumberg and colleagues at the University of L'Aquila in Italy studied 10 men and 10 women with high blood pressure.
For 15 days, half ate a daily 3.5 ounce (100 gram) bar of specially formulated, flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, while the other half ate the same amount of white chocolate.
Then each group "crossed over" and ate the other chocolate.
"White chocolate, which has no flavonoids, was the perfect control food because it contains all the other ingredients and calories found in dark chocolate," Blumberg said.
"It's important to note that the dark chocolate we used had a high level of flavonoids, giving it a slightly bittersweet taste. Most Americans eat milk chocolate, which has a low amount of these compounds."
Writing in the journal Hypertension, Blumberg's team said when the volunteers ate the special dark chocolate, they had a 12 mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and a 9 mm Hg decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) on average.
Blood pressure did not change when the volunteers ate white chocolate.
"This is not only a statistically significant effect, but it's also a clinically meaningful decline," Blumberg said. "This is the kind of reduction in blood pressure often found with other healthful dietary interventions."
Eating dark chocolate also seemed to improve how the body used insulin, and reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol by about 10 percent on average.
"The findings do not suggest that people with high blood pressure should eat lots of dark chocolate in lieu of other important blood pressure-reduction methods, such as medication and exercise," Blumberg said. "Rather, we are identifying specific flavonoids that can have a benefit on blood pressure and insulin sensitivity."
But to have 3.5 oz of chocolate reduce blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) by 12 and 9 points respectively is quite impressive.
This is remarkable too:
"Eating dark chocolate also seemed to improve how the body used insulin, and reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol by about 10 percent on average."
I just knew there had to be a good reason I love dark chocolate! MMMMMMM!!!!
As if we need reasons to eat chocolate! (Other than the one given for climbing a mountain - because it's there!)
Am I glad to read this!
There was a chocolate study reported a couple of weeks ago which measured the short-term response to chocolate on vascular elasticity in young, athletic subjects. It was positive, but short-term.
This result is much more interesting to this middle-aged Freeper.
Save the Earth!
It's the only planet that has chocolate!
I meant to add to my post that the earlier study said you had to get the really dark 70% stuff, not the Hershey's garden variety milk chocolate, to get the positive result. Trader Joe's has that.
OKAY....so...where's the best source for Dark Chocolate....I've been buying some at a local grocery store, but think I could get better.....in BULK!!!
I saw a T-shirt the other day:
Save the Earth!
It's the only planet that has chocolate!
Well that explains my low-normal BP.
he he he....
I think I'd better pick up a bar of this stuff...just for my health, ya know.
On the bright side, I could eat a salt lick and it wouldn't affect me.
Flavonoids--should have known. Quite a different picture from the one we got as kids: high fat, high cholesterol (HDL, it was said), could lead to diabetes, etc.
Yeah, but if I try
to eat 3 onces a day,
I'll start eating 6,
then fourteen, sixteen
and soon it's two pounds a day . . .
I have to say No!
I much prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate and simply adore white chocolate. However, as a type 2 diabetic, have to go really easy on this delicious stuff.
Oh happy day!!
ping
But to a supertaster, the taste is overpoweringly bitter: Some researchers believe supertasters experience flavors with three times the intensity of others.
Above quote actually in reference to "PROP", a chemical used to distinguish supertasters, but describes dark chocolate as well.
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