Studies Show Chocolate May Help Healthy Blood Flow
| May/June 2002
Smelling it can make you feel better. According to Dr. Neil Martin of the Cognition and Research Centre at Middlesex University, the smell receptors in the nasal passages of people in his study reacted so strongly to the chemical mix in chocolate that they experienced an emotional high. Harvard University researchers studied 8,000 men over 65 years of age and concluded those who ate modest amounts of chocolate lived almost a year longer than those who ate none. These are just two of the current studies of the 300 chemicals that make up chocolate and their possible health benefits. We already know chocolate and cocoa have high amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants that help reduce the risk of heart problems. Called polyphenols and flavonoids, they are similar to those found in tea, red wine, fruits and vegetables. Most of us also know that cocoa butter, the fat in chocolate, is predominately oleic and stearic acids—neither of which raise cholesterol. Now, new research presented in February at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston suggests chocolate and cocoa may help keep blood pressure down and promote healthy blood flow. Researchers in a study authored by Norman Hollenberg, MD, PhD, report finding flavanol-rich cocoas and chocolates seem to help the body use nitric oxide, a compound critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Dr. Hollenberg’s study was prompted by the medical history of Kuna islanders in Central America who drink an average of 5 cups of cocoa a day, as well as use it in recipes, but rarely develop high blood pressure. Blood clotting was affected in a University of California at Davis study comparing the blood samples of volunteers who ate either chunks of bread or 25-gram pieces of dark chocolate. The blood samples from those who had eaten the chocolate showed a decrease in platelet activity, meaning their blood was less likely to thicken and clot, than those who had eaten the bread. This blood-thinning effect is similar to that of aspirin. We will continue to keep you updated in this newsletter on the results of further studies. (Sources: Warner, J., Rich Dark Cocoa May Melt Away High Blood Pressure, Feb. 2002, WebMD Medical News; Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Bring on the Chocolates, Valentine!, Jan. 2002, www.harvard.edu; Daily Mail—London, Chocolate IS good for your GOOD HEALTH, Sept. 2001, www.msnbc.com) |
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