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Cocoa
shown to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness in real-life study - Science Daily, 7/26/22
- "Doctors often fear that some blood pressure tablets
can decrease the blood pressure too much on some days ... What we have found
indicates that cocoa flavanols only decrease blood pressure if it is elevated.
Working with participants' personal health technologies showed us how variable
blood pressure and arterial stiffness can be from day to day and shows the role
of personal health monitors in developing and implementing effective
personalised care" - See dark Chocolate at Amazon.com.
-
'Promising Signals' With
Cocoa Flavanols to Reduce CV Events? - Medscape, 4/12/22 -
"included over 21,000 older adults randomly assigned to
receive either treatment or placebo. It showed that 3.6 years of cocoa flavanol
supplementation was associated with 10% lower rate of total CV events, including
myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, CVD death, revascularization, and unstable
angina, but was not statistically significant ... There was, however, a
statistically significant 27% reduction in CV death, a secondary endpoint"
-
Can
drinking cocoa protect your heart when you're stressed? - Science Daily,
3/31/21 - "blood vessels were able to function better
during mental stress when people were given a cocoa drink containing high levels
of flavanols than when drinking a non-flavanol enriched drink ... A thin
membrane of cells lining the heart and blood vessels, when functioning
efficiently the endothelium helps to reduce the risk of peripheral vascular
disease, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, tumour growth,
thrombosis, and severe viral infectious diseases. We know that mental stress can
have a negative effect on blood vessel function ... The researchers measured
forearm blood flow and cardiovascular activity at rest and during stress and
assessed functioning of the blood vessels up to 90 min post stress --
discovering that blood vessel function was less impaired when the participants
drank high-flavanol cocoa. The researchers also discovered that flavanols
improve blood flow during stress ... Our findings are significant for everyday
diet, given that the daily dosage administered could be achieved by consuming a
variety of foods rich in flavanols -- particularly apples, black grapes,
blackberries, cherries, raspberries, pears, pulses, green tea and unprocessed
cocoa. This has important implications for measures to protect the blood vessels
of those individuals who are more vulnerable to the effects of mental stress"
- See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark
Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz., 86% Cacao (Pack of 6) at Amazon.com.
-
The Secret Behind Cocoa's
Brain-Boosting Ability - Medscape, 12/10/20 -
"Improved brain oxygenation observed with the flavanol-packed cocoa drink
appeared to translate into improved cognitive performance on more complex
cognitive tasks. The men performed higher-complexity tasks 11% faster on average
after consuming the flavanol-enriched drink"
-
Cocoa
flavanols boost brain oxygenation, cognition in healthy adults - Science
Daily, 11/24/20 - "Previous studies have shown that
eating foods rich in flavanols can benefit vascular function, but this is the
first to find a positive effect on brain vascular function and cognitive
performance in young healthy adults ... The team tested the 18 participants
before their intake of cocoa flavanols and in two separate trials, one in which
the subjects received flavanol-rich cocoa and another during which they consumed
processed cocoa with very low levels of flavanols ... About two hours after
consuming the cocoa, participants breathed air with 5% carbon dioxide -- about
100 times the normal concentration in air. This is a standard method for
challenging brain vasculature to determine how well it responds ... The levels
of maximal oxygenation were more than three times higher in the high-flavanol
cocoa versus the low-flavanol cocoa ... After ingesting the cocoa flavanols,
participants also performed better on the most challenging cognitive tests,
correctly solving problems 11% faster than they did at baseline or when they
consumed cocoa with reduced flavanols"
-
Sweet News: Dark Chocolate
Tied to Lower Depression Risk - Medscape, 8/9/19 -
"Chocolate contains a number of psychoactive ingredients, including two
analogues of anandamine, which produce effects similar to that of cannabinoid,
an agent that causes feelings of euphoria from ingesting cannabis. In addition,
chocolate contains several endogenous biogenic amines, as well as
phenylethylamine, a neuromodulator that is believed to be important for
regulating mood, the investigators note ... After adjusting for multiple
factors, participants who reported any dark chocolate consumption had 70% lower
likelihood of reporting clinically relevant depressive symptoms compared to
those who did not eat any chocolate (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% confidence
interval [CI], 0.21 – 0.72). However, the researchers found no significant link
between any non–dark chocolate consumption and clinically relevant depressive
symptoms"
-
Phenols
in cocoa bean shells may reverse obesity-related problems in mouse cells -
Science Daily, 6/20/19 - "three of the phenolic
compounds in cocoa bean shells have powerful effects on the fat and immune cells
in mice, potentially reversing the chronic inflammation and insulin resistance
associated with obesity ... cocoa shells contain high levels of three beneficial
bioactive chemicals also found in cocoa, coffee and green tea -- protocatechuic
acid, epicatechin and procyanidin B2 ... Cocoa shells are a waste byproduct
that's generated when cocoa beans are roasted during chocolate production"
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Effects of Dark Chocolate
on NOX-2-generated Oxidative Stress in Patients With Non-alcoholic
Steatohepatitis - Medscape, 9/1/16 - "Compared to
controls, NASH patients had higher sNOX2-dp, serum isoprostanes and CK-18
levels. A significant difference for treatments was found in subjects with
respect to sNOX2-dp, serum isoprostanes and serum CK-18. The pairwise
comparisons showed that, compared to baseline, after 14 days of dark chocolate
intake, a significant reduction in sNOX2-dp serum isoprostanes and CK-18 M30 was
found. No change was observed after milk chocolate ingestion"
-
Eating
chocolate each day could reduce heart disease, diabetes risk - Science
Daily, 4/28/16 - "Data of 1,153 people aged 18-69 years
old who were part of the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk in Luxembourg
(ORISCAV-LUX) study were analysed. It was found that those who ate 100 g of
chocolate a day -- equivalent to a bar -- had reduced insulin resistance and
improved liver enzymes. Insulin sensitivity is a well-established risk factor to
cardiovascular disease"
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Eating
dark chocolate as a daily snack could help boost athletic performance -
Science Daily, 4/19/16 - "dark chocolate provides
similar benefits to beetroot juice, now taken regularly by elite athletes after
studies showed it can improve performance. "Beetroot juice is rich in nitrates,
which are converted to nitric oxide in the body. This dilates blood vessels and
reduces oxygen consumption -- allowing athletes to go further for longer," ...
after eating dark chocolate, the riders used less oxygen when cycling at a
moderate pace and also covered more distance in a two-minute flat-out time
trial"
-
Chocolate Can Boost Your Workout - New York Times, 3/23/16 -
"the scientists provided half of the cyclists with 40
grams (1.4 ounces, or about one and a half squares) per day of Dove brand dark
chocolate, which has been found in past tests to contain an above-average amount
of epicatechin ... The results were beguiling. Each of the cyclists performed
better in most of the physical tests after two weeks of supplementing with dark
chocolate, compared to baseline results and after they had eaten white
chocolate. The riders utilized less oxygen to ride at a moderate pace, a change
that would generally allow them to ride longer or harder before tiring; and they
covered more distance during a two-minute, all-out time trial, meaning that
their anaerobic, sprinting ability had been enhanced ... more than 40 grams is
unlikely to be helpful" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz.,
86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com
 .
Each individually wrapped square is 10 grams. Also see
Dove Dark Chocolate Candy Bar, Singles (18
Count) which are 40 gram bars which may have been the ones in this study but
it doesn't tell you the percentage of cacao. Some websites show the
old packaging and it says 71% cacao. I doubt if you find anything
with a higher percentage of cacao than the
Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie (86%) so my theory is
that you're getting the most cacao for the least calories.
-
Can Eating Chocolate Improve Your Brain? - WebMD, 2/22/16 -
"The researchers used a battery of tests to measure
brain performance in people who ate chocolate regularly. They included tests of
verbal memory, scanning and tracking, visual-spatial memory [which allows us to
find our keys or remember the way home, for example] and organization, and
abstract reasoning, including the ability to recall a list of words or remember
where an object was placed ... The relationship between chocolate and better
performance held up even when researchers took into account things like age,
sex, education, cholesterol, blood pressure, and alcohol intake" - [Nutra
USA]
-
Bit of Chocolate in Pregnancy May Help Mom, Baby - WebMD, 2/4/16 -
"Pregnant women who nibble just a small piece of
chocolate each day may improve the circulatory health of their unborn child ...
The tiny treat may also reduce the risk for preeclampsia ... All were instructed
to consume 30 grams of chocolate (a little more than one ounce) each day over a
12-week period. That's equivalent to about one small square of chocolate per day
... Half of the women consumed high-flavanol chocolate, while the other half
were given low-flavanol chocolate ... simply consuming a small amount of
chocolate -- no matter what the flavanol content -- was associated with notable
improvements in all blood circulation and velocity measures compared to the
general population"
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Could Cocoa Flavanols
Improve Heart Health? - Medscape, 1/28/16 - "There are now several
small-scale randomized clinical trials demonstrating that the cocoa flavanols in
amounts ranging between 400 and 900 mg/day may favorably affect several
mechanisms and pathways that are related to cardiovascular disease prevention.
And this includes effects on improving flow-mediated vasodilatation, lowering
blood pressure, improving glucose tolerance, decreasing inflammation, and even
slowing cognitive decline and age-related memory loss ... While waiting for the
results of this trial, which may take another 4 years, it's important to
understand that chocolate and cocoa flavanols are not synonymous and that
chocolate actually provides highly variable amounts of the cocoa flavanols; it
will depend on the harvesting and processing of the cocoa. And there are many
forms of chocolate that are high in sugar, saturated fat, and calories and
provide minimal—if any—cocoa flavanols"
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Eight
nutrients to protect the aging brain - Science Daily, 4/15/15 -
"Cocoa flavanols have been linked to improved
circulation and heart health, and preliminary research shows a possible
connection to memory improvement as well. A study showed cocoa flavanols may
improve the function of a specific part of the brain called the dentate gyrus,
which is associated with age-related memory (Brickman, 2014)"
-
Dietary
cocoa flavanols reverse age-related memory decline in mice - Science Daily,
10/26/14 - "Most methods of processing cocoa remove many
of the flavanols found in the raw plant ... 37 healthy volunteers, ages 50 to
69, were randomized to receive either a high-flavanol diet (900 mg of flavanols
a day) or a low-flavanol diet (10 mg of flavanols a day) for three months. Brain
imaging and memory tests were administered to each participant before and after
the study ... When we imaged our research subjects' brains, we found noticeable
improvements in the function of the dentate gyrus in those who consumed the
high-cocoa-flavanol drink ... The high-flavanol group also performed
significantly better on the memory test ... If a participant had the memory of a
typical 60-year-old at the beginning of the study, after three months that
person on average had the memory of a typical 30- or 40-year-old ... The precise
formulation used in the CUMC study has also been shown to improve cardiovascular
health ... the product used in the study is not the same as chocolate, and they
caution against an increase in chocolate consumption in an attempt to gain this
effect" - See
Garden of Life, Radical Fruits Antioxidant Complex at Amazon.com
 .
-
Chocolate: A sweet method for stroke prevention in men? - Science Daily,
8/29/12 - "While other studies have looked at how
chocolate may help cardiovascular health, this is the first of its kind study to
find that chocolate ... Those eating the highest amount of chocolate had a
17-percent lower risk of stroke, or 12 fewer strokes per 100,000 person-years
compared to those who ate no chocolate ... In a larger analysis of five studies
that included 4,260 stroke cases, the risk of stroke for individuals in the
highest category of chocolate consumption was 19 percent lower compared to
non-chocolate consumers. For every increase in chocolate consumption of 50 grams
per week, or about a quarter cup of chocolate chips, the risk of stroke
decreased by about 14 percent ... The beneficial effect of chocolate consumption
on stroke may be related to the flavonoids in chocolate" - See
Garden of Life, Radical Fruits Antioxidant Complex at Amazon.com.
I'm still betting it covers the flavonoids without the calories or the headache
I get from chocolate.
-
Dark
chocolate, cocoa compounds, may reduce blood pressure - Science Daily,
8/14/12 - "The researchers reviewed evidence from
short-term trials in which participants were given dark chocolate or cocoa
powder daily and found that their blood pressure dropped slightly compared
to a control group ... Cocoa contains compounds called flavanols, thought to
be responsible for the formation of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide
causes blood vessel walls to relax and open wider, thereby reducing blood
pressure. The link between cocoa and blood pressure stems from the discovery
that the indigenous people of San Blas Island in Central American, who drink
flavanol-rich cocoa drinks every day, have normal blood pressure regardless
of age ... Flavanol-rich chocolate or cocoa powder reduced blood pressure on
average by 2-3 mm Hg" - [Abstract]
- Note: I'm betting that this formula will cover most of those flavanols:
Garden of Life, Radical Fruits Antioxidant Complex at Amazon.com.
-
Cocoa May Sharpen Aging Brain - WebMD, 8/13/12 -
"included 90 elderly people who already had mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
... For eight weeks, they drank a cocoa drink that had high, medium, or low
amounts of antioxidants called flavanols. Those who got high and medium
levels of flavanols in their drink did better on tests of attention and
other mental skills, compared to people who got low amounts of flavanols"
-
Beyond apples: A serving a day of dark chocolate might keep the doctor away
- Science Daily, 4/24/12 - "31 fortunate subjects
were assigned randomly to consume either a daily serving (50 grams) of
either regular dark chocolate (70% cocoa), dark chocolate (70% cocoa) that
had been overheated or "bloomed," or white chocolate (0% cocoa). The
subjects were asked to consume the chocolate for 15 days ... When compared
to participants assigned to the white chocolate group, those consuming
either form of dark chocolate had lower blood glucose and low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, the "bad" form) levels coupled with higher
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, the "good" form) ... dark
chocolate may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving glucose
levels and lipid profiles. However, they cautioned that -- although habitual
dark chocolate consumption may benefit one's health by reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease -- it must be eaten in moderation because it can
easily increase daily amounts of saturated fat and calories"
-
Regular chocolate eaters are thinner, evidence suggests - Science Daily,
3/27/12 - "adults who ate chocolate on more days a
week were actually thinner -- i.e. had a lower body mass index -- than those
who ate chocolate less often. The size of the effect was modest but the
effect was "significant" -larger than could be explained by chance. This was
despite the fact that those who ate chocolate more often did not eat fewer
calories (they ate more), nor did they exercise more. Indeed, no differences
in behaviors were identified that might explain the finding as a difference
in calories taken in versus calories expended"
-
Cocoa may enhance skeletal muscle function - Science Daily, 3/2/12 -
"Mitochondria are structures responsible for most of
the energy produced in cells. These "fuel cells" are dysfunctional as a
result of both type 2 diabetes and heart failure, leading to abnormalities
in skeletal muscle ... The trial participants consumed dark chocolate bars
and a beverage with a total epicatechin content of approximately 100 mg per
day for three months ... After three months, we saw recovery -- cristae
numbers back toward normal levels, and increases in several molecular
indicators involved in new mitochondria production" - Note: I don't
know what it is about chocolate but it's the only thing that will give me a
headache.
-
Antioxidant-rich cocoa shows short-term heart benefits: Harvard review -
Nutra USA, 9/29/11 - "Consumption of flavonoid-rich
cocoa was associated with an average decrease in systolic blood pressure of
about 1.6 mmHg ... It has been reported that a mere 2 mmHg decrease in
systolic blood pressure could lead to 6% fewer stroke-related deaths, a 4%
lower rate of heart disease deaths and a 3% reduction in overall deaths
among Americans ... the Boston-based scientists also report a significant
increase in levels of HDL cholesterol following consumption of
antioxidant-rich cocoa ... The maximum effects were observed for a flavonoid
dose of 500 mg/d"
-
Heavy chocolate consumption may be linked to heart health, study suggests
- Science Daily, 8/30/11 - "High levels of chocolate
consumption might be associated with a one third reduction in the risk of
developing heart disease ... the authors stress that further studies are
needed to test whether chocolate actually causes this reduction or if it can
be explained by some other unmeasured (confounding) factor ... A number of
recent studies have shown that eating chocolate has a positive influence on
human health due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This
includes reducing blood pressure and improving insulin sensitivity (a stage
in the development of diabetes) ... They analysed the results of seven
studies, involving over 100,000 participants with and without existing heart
disease. For each study, they compared the group with the highest chocolate
consumption against the group with the lowest consumption ... highest levels
of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37% reduction in
cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared with lowest
levels"
-
Systematic review: Chocolate can reduce heart disease risk by a third -
Nutra USA, 8/29/11 - "A Cambridge University-led
systematic review published today in the British Medical Journal
has concluded that polyphenol-rich consumption can reduce the risk of heart
disease by a third ... The highest levels of chocolate consumption were
associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease (relative risk
0.63 (95% confidence interval 0.44 to 0.90)) and a 29% reduction in stroke
compared with the lowest levels ... These favourable effects seem mainly
mediated by the high content of polyphenols present in cocoa products and
probably accrued through increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide,
which subsequently might lead to improvements in endothelial function,
reductions in platelet function, and additional beneficial effects on blood
pressure, insulin resistance, and blood lipids ... But they noted none of
the selected trials were controlled, randomised studies with six cohort
studies and a cross sectional study, and therefore offered the caveat: "We
expect further studies will be done to confirm or refute the results of our
analyses""
-
Dark chocolate/cocoa effective for cholesterol improvements: Meta-analysis
- Nutra USA, 8/22/11 - "Researchers from Brigham and
Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston report that short-term
consumption of dark chocolate was associated with a reduction of total
cholesterol of 6.23 milligrams per dl, while LDL was reduced by, on average,
5.9 ml/dl ... The degree to which LDL and [total cholesterol] levels were
reduced in this analysis reflects some measure of potency of the cocoa
regimen ... cocoa may also affect gut microflora and possess prebiotic
potential ... Dr Djoussé and his co-workers performed a detailed literature
search and identified 10 clinical trials of flavanol-rich cocoa products or
dark chocolate involving 320 participants. Five of the studies used daily
flavanol doses of less than 500 mg, while the other five used doses
exceeding 500 mg per day" - [Abstract]
-
Skip the carrots. Chocolate improves eyesight, too - MSNBC, 8/8/11 -
"They took the tests twice, once after eating a dark
chocolate bar, and once after eating a white chocolate bar. The difference
between the two chocolate bars was the amount of flavanols -- a natural
compound in cocoa -- they contained. Of course, the dark chocolate bar
contained loads of cocoa flavanols, the white chocolate bar only a trace ...
the study participants did perform better on the vision tests and on some of
the brain function tests after eating the dark chocolate ... They attribute
their findings to cocoa flavanol’s known ability to increase blood flow to
the brain, and they speculate that the stuff might also increase blood flow
to the retina of the eye"
-
Phys Ed: How Chocolate Can Help Your Workout - NYTimes.com, 8/3/11 -
"chocolate’s potential role in exercise performance
had not been studied, or probably even much considered, until scientists at
the University of California, San Diego, and other institutions gave
middle-aged, sedentary male mice a purified form of cacao’s primary
nutritional ingredient, known as epicatechin, and had the mice work out.
Epicatechin is a flavonol, a class of molecules that are thought to have
widespread effects on the body ... The fittest rodents, however, were those
that had combined epicatechin and exercise. They covered about 50 percent
more distance than the control animals ... The muscle biopsies offered some
explanation for their dominance. The muscles of all of the animals that had
been given epicatechin contained new capillaries, as well as biochemical
markers indicating that their cells were making new mitochondria.
Mitochondria are structures in cells that produce cellular energy. The more
functioning mitochondria a muscle contains, the healthier and more
fatigue-resistant it is ... Processing destroys epicate ... heavily
processed milk chocolate contains almost none of the flavonol, while
cacao-rich dark chocolate has far more ... more is not better ... “More
could lessen or even undo” any benefits, he said, by overloading the
muscles’ receptors or otherwise skewing the body’s response"
-
Low-fat chocolate milk can boost aerobic fitness, research - Nutra USA,
6/8/11 - "Immediately following exercise and again,
two hours following exercise, participants consumed a recovery drink of
low-fat chocolate milk, a calorie and fat-matched carbohydrate beverage or a
non-caloric flavoured water ... chocolate milk improved cycling performance
more than the other drinks, cutting at least six minutes on average off the
cyclist’s ride time ... Chocolate milk was also found to increase signals
for muscle protein synthesis, which leads to the repair and rebuilding of
muscle proteins, more than the other drinks"
-
Cocoa extracts may benefit cholesterol levels: Study - Nutra USA,
5/31/11 - "recruited 42 volunteers with a mean age
of 70 to participate in their randomized, crossover feeding trial. All the
participants received 500 mL of skimmed milk/day with or without 40g of
cocoa powder for 4 weeks. The 40 grams of cocoa powder provided 495.2
milligrams of polyphenols and 425.7 milligrams of proanthocyanidins ... At
the end of the study the researchers found that milk plus cocoa was
associated with a 5 percent increase in HDL cholesterol levels, compared to
only milk ... In addition, cocoa plus milk was associated with a 14 percent
reduction in oxidized LDL cholesterol levels, compared to milk only ... the
polyphenols in cocoa may bind to LDL particles and therefore prevent them
from being oxidized ... Concerning the increase in HDL, they note that the
mechanism remains to be elucidated, but it may be related to polyphenols
boosting the production of a molecule called apolipoprotein (Apo) A1, which
is the main protein component of HDL"
-
Alkaline processing reduces cocoa's flavanol content, study - Nutra USA,
3/14/11
-
Nutrigenomics shows blood pressure benefits of cocoa - Nutra USA, 3/8/11
- "The magnitude of the hypotensive effects of cocoa
is clinically noteworthy; it is in the range that is usually achieved with
monotherapy of beta-blockers or antiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors ...
recruited 16 volunteers aged between 20 and 45, and asked them to eat 75
grams of dark chocolate with 72 percent cocoa content every day for two
weeks" - [Abstract]
-
New
explanation for heart-healthy benefits of chocolate - Science Daily,
2/7/11 - "studies have shown that cocoa, the main
ingredient in chocolate, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease by
boosting levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and decreasing levels of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. Credit for those
heart-healthy effects goes to a cadre of antioxidant compounds in cocoa
called polyphenols, which are particularly abundant in dark chocolate"
-
Chocolate is a 'super fruit': Rich source of antioxidants - Science
Daily, 2/6/11 - "chocolate is a rich source of
antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice
... both dark chocolate and cocoa had a greater antioxidant capacity and a
greater total flavanol, and polyphenol, content than the fruit juices.
However hot chocolate, due to processing (alkalization) of the chocolate,
contained little of any"
-
Polyphenol-rich choc may ease chronic fatigue symptoms: Study - Nutra
USA, 11/23/10 - "either the high or low chocolate,
followed by two weeks of washout and cross over on to the other
intervention. The study used chocolate provided by Nestlé PTC York, UK ...
Results showed a significant improvement in Chalder Fatigue Scale scores
following the high polyphenol chocolate intervention, whereas a
deterioration was observed in the low-polyphenol chocolate intervention"
-
Chocolate and Blood Pressure -- Some Bitter Results - Medscape, 11/22/10
- "The problem is that all of the studies --
epidemiologic, observational, and clinical trials -- haven't been well
controlled ... The current design had 3-week ingestions of placebo, a cocoa
drink, or a usual dose of cocoa drink plus theobromine, which is the
compound in chocolate thought to prevent some of the cardiovascular
complications ... They had very surprising results. For one thing, the group
that got theobromine, or cocoa plus theobromine, in either dose had an
increase in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure when measured
peripherally and when measured on ABPM. That's not a good thing" -
See the video on that link.
-
Why
chocolate protects against heart disease - Science Daily, 11/10/10 -
"ate 75 grams of unsweetened chocolate with a cocoa
content of 72 percent. To analyze what happened with the ACE enzyme, blood
samples were taken in advance and then a half hour, one hour, and three
hours afterward ... In the sample taken three hours afterward, there was a
significant inhibition of ACE activity. The average was 18 percent lower
activity than before the dose of cocoa, fully comparable to the effect of
drugs that inhibit ACE and are used as a first-choice treatment for high
blood pressure" - Note: I find that ACE inhibitor theory hard to
believe. The results of up to
57% reduction in heart disease was found with amounts of chocolate much
less than that and it would seem that amount would have very little effect
on blood pressure. Plus two recent studies showed blood pressures of
135/85
and
146/81 so lower is not necessarily better.
-
Chocolate eaters may have healthier hearts: study - MSNBC, 11/8/10 -
"The authors found that women older than 70 who ate
chocolate at least once per week were 35 percent less likely to be
hospitalized or die from heart disease over the course of the study, and
nearly 60 percent less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart failure
... The danger is that many people will start eating more of it than is
necessary, without cutting back in calories from other snacks, which will
result in weight gain and will counteract any beneficial effects of
chocolate ... Flavonoids are thought to reduce the risk of heart disease,
the leading cause of death in many industrialized countries, by helping to
increase nitric oxide, which in turn helps boost the functioning of blood
vessels and lower blood pressure"
-
Frequent chocolate consumption could reduce CHD risk, US study - Nutra
USA, 9/21/10 - "dark chocolate intake was associated
with a 39 per cent lower risk of myocardial infarction and stroke combined
... In the fully adjusted model, consumption of chocolate more than five
times a week was associated with 57 per cent lower prevalent CHD compared
with subjects who did not consume chocolate ... Exclusion of subjects with
prevalent diabetes and those who were on a weight loss diet made the
association stronger ... the inability to distinguish the different types of
chocolate might have led to an underestimation of the true association
between cocoa/chocolate polyphenol consumption and CHD in the study"
-
Chocolate Intake and Incidence of Heart Failure: A Population-Based,
Prospective Study of Middle-Aged and Elderly Women - Journal of the
American Heart Association, 8/16/10 (.pdf) - See table 2 on page 23 -
"1-2 servings per week 78 66935.77 0.66 (0.48-0.89) 0.68 (0.50-0.93)"
-
Moderate chocolate consumption linked to lower risks of heart failure, study
finds - Science Daily, 8/17/10
-
Chocolate for Blood
Pressure Too Hard to Stomach, Researchers Say - Medscape, 8/13/10
-
Cocoa flavanols improve vascular and blood pressure measures for coronary
artery disease patients - Science Daily, 7/6/10 -
"The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols
-- such as cocoa products, tea, wine, and various fruits and vegetables --
have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients ... The study
found a protective effect from a cocoa drink with 375 mg of flavanols, but
according to researchers, a standard or recommended dosage has not yet been
defined to achieve optimal health benefit ... In the current study, the
benefit seen from the two-fold increase in circulating angiogenic cells was
similar to that achieved by therapy with statins and with lifestyle changes
such as exercise and smoking cessation"
-
Dark
chocolate lowers blood pressure, research finds - Science Daily, 6/28/10
-
"Flavanols have been shown to increase the formation
of endothelial nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation and consequently
may lower blood pressure. There have, however, been conflicting results as
to the real-life effects of eating chocolate. We've found that consumption
can significantly, albeit modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with
high blood pressure but not for people with normal blood pressure ... The
pressure reduction seen in the combined results for people with
hypertension, 5mm Hg systolic, may be clinically relevant -- it is
comparable to the known effects of 30 daily minutes of physical activity
(4-9mm Hg) and could theoretically reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event
by about 20% over five years" - See
flavonoids at Amazon.com.
-
How
dark chocolate may guard against brain injury from stroke - Science
Daily, 5/5/10
-
Chocolate reduces blood pressure and risk of heart disease - Science
Daily, 3/30/10
-
A friend told me that chocolate impairs absorption of calcium. Is this true?
- Nutrition Possible, 3/27/10
-
Cocoa compounds may ease exercise-related heart function - Nutra USA,
3/10/10
-
Study thickens the science of cocoa’s heart benefits - Nutra USA, 3/5/10
-
Can
chocolate lower your risk of stroke? - Science Daily, 2/12/10
-
Chocolate again linked to better heart health - Science Daily, 8/17/09
-
Dark Chocolate Prevents Heart Disease - WebMD, 9/25/08
-
Cocoa Compound Boosts Brain's Blood Flow - WebMD, 8/21/08
-
Study: Dark Chocolate, Cocoa May Cut Blood Pressure in Overweight Adults
- WebMD, 7/11/08
-
Cocoa
for Diabetes? - WebMD, 5/27/08 - "Researchers
caution that the high-dose flavonol cocoa used in their study greatly
exceeds the typical U.S. dietary intake of 20 to 100 milligrams daily, and
you can't buy the extra-strength version in stores. Rather, they are
optimistic that flavonol-containing diets offer an innovative approach to
preventing heart disease"
-
Cocoa, but Not Tea,
Lowers Blood Pressure - Medscape, 4/16/08
-
Dark chocolate 'not so healthy' - BBC News, 12/24/07 -
"Plain chocolate is naturally rich in flavanols,
plant chemicals that are believed to protect the heart ... many
manufacturers remove flavanols because of their bitter taste"
-
Dark Chocolate Improves Coronary Vasomotion and Reduces Platelet Reactivity
- Circulation. 2007 Nov 5 - "Dark chocolate induces
coronary vasodilation, improves coronary vascular function, and decreases
platelet adhesion 2 hours after consumption. These immediate beneficial
effects were paralleled by a significant reduction of serum oxidative stress
and were positively correlated with changes in serum epicatechin
concentration"
-
Dark Chocolate Fights Heart Woes - WebMD, 11/5/07 -
"After two weeks, coronary circulation significantly
improved in participants who ate dark chocolate. There was no change among
those who ate white chocolate ... Cacao polyphenol contains four times as
many disease-fighting flavonoids per serving than red wine or tea"
-
Dark Chocolate's Health Benefits May Include Better Blood Pressure -
WebMD, 7/3/07
- Drink Cocoa Daily?
- Dr. Weil, 5/9/07
-
Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure - WebMD, 4/9/07 -
"The results showed four of the five cocoa studies
reported a reduction in both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood
pressure. The reduction was an average of 4.7 points systolic and 2.8 points
diastolic"
-
Cocoa Boosts Heart Health - WebMD, 3/24/07
-
Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin - Science
Daily, 3/11/07
-
Boosting Brain Power -- With Chocolate - Science Daily, 2/21/07 -
"the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate could be
useful in enhancing brain function for people fighting fatigue, sleep
deprivation, and even the effects of ageing"
-
Chocolate May Help Aging Blood Vessels - WebMD, 8/4/06 -
"The results showed blood vessel function improved
among both younger and older adults after the cocoa phase. But these
improvements were more pronounced in the older group ... the flavonol-rich
cocoa products used in these studies should not be confused with
commercially available snacks that contain many calories but are low in
natural cocoa and flavonols"
-
Flavonol-rich chocolate could improve skin from within - Nutra USA,
5/16/06
-
Chocolate Milk May Improve Recovery After Exercise - Medscape, 2/27/06 -
"Low-fat chocolate milk and FR ingestion as recovery
fluids are associated with greater endurance in terms of time to exhaustion
vs a CR for cycling in male endurance athletes"
-
Cocoa May Cut
Blood Pressure - WebMD, 2/27/06 -
"Cocoa intake was tied to lower blood pressure and
reduced death risk, the study shows. Natural compounds in cocoa called
flavanols may be the reason"
-
Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink? - WebMD, 2/24/06
- Healthy chocolate a dream
come true? - MSNBC, 2/20/06
-
Heart-healthy Compound In Chocolate Identified - Science Daily, 1/20/06
- "epicatechin, one of a group of chemicals known as
flavanols, was directly linked to improved circulation and other hallmarks
of cardiovascular health"
-
Dark Chocolate May Ease Diarrhea - WebMD, 10/3/05
-
Dark
Chocolate Helps Diarrhea: Study Confirms Ancient Myth - Science Daily,
10/2/05 - "a chemical in cocoa beans can limit the
development of fluids that cause diarrhea"
-
Chocolate May Help Smokers' Blood Vessels - WebMD, 9/29/05
-
Flavanols Key To Potential Chocolate Benefits - Science Daily, 9/29/05
-
Dark Chocolate May Lower Blood Pressure - WebMD, 3/11/05 -
"100 grams (3.5 ounces) of dark chocolate ... Dark
chocolate is rich in flavonoids due to their high cocoa content, but white
chocolate contains no cocoa, and, therefore, no flavonoids ... blood sugar
metabolism was significantly improved after the dark chocolate phase ... the
participants' systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure
reading) was significantly lower after 15 days of eating dark chocolate --
an average of 108 mm Hg compared with 114 mm Hg"
- Cocoa, Flavanols and
Cardiovascular Risk - Medscape, 11/29/04
-
Chocolate Said To Help Blood Vessels - Intelihealth, 8/30/04
- A Dark
Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away - Doctor's Guide, 6/1/04
- Chocolate -
Food of the Gods? - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 3/31/04
- Hot Cocoa May
Prevent Heart Disease - WebMD, 11/6/03 - "Hot
cocoa has more disease-fighting antioxidants than tea or red wine ... black
tea, green tea, red wine, and cocoa are "major" sources of antioxidants
called phenols and flavonoids -- antioxidant chemicals found naturally in
foods that can help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and
cancer" - Yeah, but what about the sugar and calories. See
iHerb
or
Vitacost
green tea products. - Ben
-
Flavonoids found in chocolate may help reduce risk of heart disease -
HealthScout, 2/13/03 - "the main flavonoids in cocoa
-- flavan-3-ols -- are associated with a decreased risk of
cardiovascular disease ... Also, a third of the fat in chocolate is made
up of
oleic acid. That's a monosaturated fat, also found in olive oil, that's
been shown to benefit heart health"
- Which Chocolate
Is Healthiest for Heart? - WebMD, 1/31/03
- Some Chocolate a
Treat for the Heart - WebMD, 11/20/02
- Cocoa: The Next
Health Drink? - WebMD, 2/15/02
-
Chocolate Boosts 'Good' Cholesterol And Protects Against Heart Disease
- Intelihealth, 10/25/01
- Chocolate Is Good
for the Heart - WebMD, 10/23/01 - "chocolate ...
has loads of antioxidants in the form of flavonoids, which are known to
reduce cardiovascular risk ... certain cocoas and chocolates -- taken in
small, regular doses -- seem to raise HDL, or the "good" cholesterol, while
lowering the "bad" variety called LDL, which can clog the arteries ... half
the group ate a "typical American diet" that was purposely low in
flavonoids. The other half ate the "experimental diet," which essentially
was the typical American diet plus cocoa powder (3/4 of an ounce) and dark
chocolate (half an ounce) ... They found that LDL cholesterol was oxidized
8% more slowly -- and that HDL cholesterol increased by 4% -- after the
people ate chocolate"
-
Good News For Chocoholics - WebMD, 7/17/00
Abstracts:
-
Cocoa flavanol
supplementation preserves early and late radial artery function after
transradial catheterization - Food Funct 2023 May 2 -
"transradial coronary angiography (TCA) ... Peri-interventional
cocoa flavanol supplementation prevents long-term intima media thickening and
endothelial dysfunction 6 months after TCA opening the perspective for dietary
interventions to mitigate endothelial cell damage and intimal hyperplasia after
mechanical injury" - See
dark Chocolate at Amazon.com.
-
Cocoa flavanol consumption
improves lower extremity endothelial function in healthy individuals and people
with type 2 diabetes - Food Funct 2022 Sep 27 -
"diabetes and age are major risk factors for the development of lower extremity
peripheral artery disease (PAD). Cocoa flavanol (CF) consumption is associated
with lower risk for PAD and improves brachial artery (BA) endothelial function
... individuals with T2DM exhibit decreased endothelial function that is more
pronounced in the femoral than in the brachial artery. CFs increase endothelial
function not only in the BA but also the FA both in healthy individuals and in
those with T2DM who are at increased risk of developing lower extremity PAD and
foot ulcers"
-
Vitamins or Cocoa: Which
Preserves Cognition? - Medscape, 9/14/22 - "Findings
from a phase 3 study show daily multivitamin use, but not cocoa, is linked to a
significantly slower rate of age-related cognitive decline"
-
Antioxidant-rich foods,
antioxidant supplements, and sarcopenia in old-young adults ≥55 years old: A
systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized
controlled trials - Clin Nutr 2022 Aug 17 -
"antioxidant-rich foods (A-RF) ... A-RF or antioxidant supplementation could be
effective tools for sarcopenia, especially
improving muscle strength and function. The best interventions according to the
meta-analysis of the RCTs were supplementation of vitamin E in combination with
vitamin D and protein, magnesium, tea catechins, and increasing fruit and
vegetable consumption"
-
Cocoa extract exerts
sex-specific anti-diabetic effects in an aggressive type-2 diabetes model: A
pilot study - Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022 Aug 11 -
"Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by hyperglycemia
and insulin resistance. Cocoa may slow T2D development and progression ... Acute
cocoa reduced fasting hyperglycemia in females, but not males, after 2 weeks.
Chronic cocoa supplementation (6-10 weeks) ameliorated hyperinsulinemia in males
and worsened hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia in females, yet also preserved
and enhanced beta cell survival in females" - See
dark Chocolate at Amazon.com.
-
Effect of cocoa flavanol
supplementation for prevention of cardiovascular disease events: The COSMOS
randomized clinical trial - Am J Clin Nutr 2022 Mar 16 -
"Participants were randomly assigned to a cocoa extract
supplement (500 mg/d flavanols, including 80 mg (-)-epicatechins) or placebo ...
Cocoa extract supplementation did not significantly reduce total cardiovascular
events among older adults but reduced CVD death by 27%"
-
A Proprietary Herbal Blend
Containing Extracts of Punica granatum Fruit Rind and Theobroma cocoa Seeds
Increases Serum Testosterone Level in Healthy Young Males: A Randomized,
Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study - J Diet Suppl 2022 Feb 6 -
"LN18178
is a proprietary herbal blend containing extracts of Punica granatum fruit rind
and Theobroma cocoa seeds ... One hundred and twenty male volunteers (age 21-35
years) were randomized into three groups. Each group (n = 40) received a daily
dose of either placebo or 200 or 400 mg LN18178 for fifty-six days. An increase
in serum testosterone (free and total) was the primary efficacy measure of the
study. The secondary measures included dihydrotestosterone (DHT), cortisol,
Luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-Estradiol (E2), hand grip strength, and the
mid-upper arm circumferences (MUAC)" - See
pomegranate extract at
Amazon.com and Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark
Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz., 86% Cacao (Pack of 6) at Amazon.com.
-
Pomegranate - Wikipedia - "The pomegranate (Punica
granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family
Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between 5 and
10 m (16 and 33 ft) tall"
-
Theobroma cacao - Wikipedia - "Theobroma
cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a
small (4–8 m (13–26 ft) tall) evergreen tree in the family
Malvaceae"
-
The effect of cocoa/dark
chocolate consumption on lipid profile, glycemia, and blood pressure in diabetic
patients: A meta-analysis of observational studies - Phytother Res 2021 Jun
5 - "Pooled analysis indicated a significant reduction
in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL-c levels (WMD: -15.49 mg/dl; 95% CI:
-24.56, -6.42, p = .001) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) concentrations (WMD:
-6.88 mg/dl; 95% CI: -13.28, -0.48, p = .03) following cocoa/dark chocolate
consumption. The analysis of papers included in current study indicates that the
consumption of cocoa/dark chocolate reduced the serum fasting blood glucose
(FBS) and LDL cholesterol concentrations" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark
Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz., 86% Cacao (Pack of 6) at Amazon.com.
-
Dietary
cocoa improves health of obese mice; likely has implications for humans -
Science Daily, 4/14/21 - "Supplementation of cocoa
powder in the diet of high-fat-fed mice with liver disease markedly reduced the
severity of their condition ... Cocoa powder, a popular food ingredient most
commonly used in the production of chocolate, is rich in fiber, iron and
phytochemicals reported to have positive health benefits, including antioxidant
polyphenols and methylxanthines ... While it is typically considered an
indulgence food because of its high sugar and fat content, epidemiological and
human-intervention studies have suggested that chocolate consumption is
associated with reduced risk of cardio-metabolic diseases including stroke,
coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes ... Doing the calculations, for
people it works out to about 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder a day ... Or, if you
follow the directions on the Hershey's box of cocoa powder, that's about five
cups of hot cocoa a day ... cocoa-treated mice gained weight at a 21% lower rate
and had smaller spleen weights -- indicating less inflammation -- than the
high-fat-fed control mice. At the end of the study, mice fed the
cocoa-powder-supplemented diet had 28% less fat in their livers than the control
mice. Cocoa-treated mice also had 56% lower levels of oxidative stress and 75%
lower levels of DNA damage in the liver compared to high-fat-fed control mice
... Lambert is not recommending that obese people -- or anyone -- simply add
five cups of hot cocoa to their daily routine and change nothing else in their
diet. But he does advise, based on what he has learned in this study, to
consider substituting cocoa for other foods, particularly high-calorie snack
foods" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark
Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz., 86% Cacao (Pack of 6) at Amazon.com.
-
Effects of cocoa-rich
chocolate on cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. A randomised
clinical trial - Nutr Neurosci 2020 Nov 15 - "The
intervention group (n = 73) consumed daily 10 g of chocolate (99% cocoa) in
addition to their usual food intake for 6 months, whereas the control group (n =
67) did not receive any intervention ... The consumption of cocoa-rich (99%)
chocolate in addition to the habitual diet could be related to a slight
improvement in cognitive performance regarding cognitive flexibility and
processing speed in postmenopausal women, with no changes in the rest of the
cognitive performance variables evaluated"
-
Sub-Chronic Consumption
of Dark Chocolate Enhances Cognitive Function and Releases Nerve Growth Factors:
A Parallel-Group Randomized Trial - Nutrients. 2019 Nov 16 -
"Eighteen
healthy young subjects (both sexes; 20-31 years old) were randomly divided into
two groups: a DC intake group (n = 10) and a cacao-free white chocolate (WC)
intake group (n = 8). The subjects then consumed chocolate daily for 30 days.
Blood samples were taken to measure plasma levels of theobromine (a
methylxanthine most often present in DC), nerve growth factor (NGF), and
brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and to analyze hemodynamic parameters.
Cognitive function was assessed using a modified Stroop color word test and
digital cancellation test. Prefrontal cerebral blood flow was measured during
the tests. DC consumption increased the NGF and theobromine levels in plasma,
enhancing cognitive function performance in both tests. Interestingly, the
DC-mediated enhancement of cognitive function was observed three weeks after the
end of chocolate intake. WC consumption did not affect NGF and theobromine
levels or cognitive performance. These results suggest that DC consumption has
beneficial effects on human health by enhancing cognitive function."
-
High flavonoid cocoa
supplement ameliorates plasma oxidative stress and inflammation levels while
improving mobility and quality of life in older subjects: a double blind
randomized clinical trial - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2019 May 6 -
"Regular flavonoids consumption positively impact blood oxidative stress and
inflammation endpoints, cardiometabolic risk markers, physical performance and
QoL. The sum of such effects may help to mitigate the extent of frailty
development in the elderly" - [Nutra
USA] - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz.,
86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com.
-
Randomized study of the
effects of cocoa-rich chocolate on the ventricle-arterial coupling and vascular
function of young, healthy adults - Nutrition. 2019 Feb 27;63-64:175-183 -
"Half of the participants ingested a 20-g dose of lower cocoa
chocolate (LCC;
~55%; 12.6 +/- 1.4 mg equivalent of epicatechin/g) and the others ingested a daily
dose of 20 g of higher cocoa chocolate (HCC; ~90%; 18.2 +/- 2.6 mg equivalent of
epicatechin/g) ... A statistically significant improvement was depicted over the
brachial and central systolic and pulse pressures in the HCC group, and a trend
for improvement in the reflected waves component (Aix) and the FMS was also
observed in the HCC, but not in the LCC group ... regular consumption of HCC has
beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system in young, healthy adults,
improving vascular function by reducing central brachial artery pressures and
promoting vascular relaxation, and thus enhancing the matching of the arterial
system with the left ventricle" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz.,
86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com.
-
Markers of Hypoxia and
Oxidative Stress in Aging Volunteers Ingesting Lycosomal Formulation of Dark
Chocolate Containing Astaxanthin - J Nutr Health Aging. 2018;22(9):1092-1098
- "To determine if ingestion of lycosome-formulated dark chocolate (DC)
containing astaxanthin (ASTX) improves bioavailability of ASTX and affects
markers of hypoxia and oxidative stress in aging individuals ... One month
ingestion of singular formulation of ASTX lead to a 20 fold buildup in serum
ASTX level whereas the 4 week ingestion of L-DC-ASTX formulation was accompanied
by more prominent accumulation of ASTX in serum (a 40 fold increase over the
basal values) at the same daily dose of ASTX. Both antioxidants taken separately
decreased serum levels of oxidized LDL and malonic dialdehyde. However effect of
L-DC-ASTX formulation was more prominent. ASTX ingested alone caused a
borderline increase (p=0.054) in serum nitric oxide (NO) levels, whereas DC
ingestion lead to small but statistically significant increase in serum NO
concentration. Higher values of NO level were seen after co-ingestion of DC and
ASTX"
-
Flavanol-rich cocoa consumption enhances exercise-induced executive function
improvements in humans - J Nutr. 2017 Oct 1 -
"Aerobic exercise is known to acutely improve cognitive functions, such as
executive function (EF) and memory function (MF). Additionally, consumption of
flavanol-rich cocoa is reported to acutely improve cognitive function. Thus, we
hypothesized that high cocoa flavanol (CF; HCF) consumption would enhance
exercise-induced improvement in cognitive function ... The present findings
demonstrated that HCF consumption prior to moderate-intensity exercise could
enhance exercise-induced improvement in EF, but not in MF. Therefore, we suggest
that the combination of HCF consumption and aerobic exercise may be beneficial
for improving EF" - [Nutra
USA] - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz.,
86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com.
-
Chocolate intake and
incidence of heart failure: Findings from the Cohort of Swedish Men - Am
Heart J. 2017 Jan;183:18-2 - "Compared with subjects who
reported no chocolate intake, the multivariable-adjusted rate ratio of HF was
0.88 (95% CI 0.78-0.99) for those consuming 1-3 servings per month, 0.83 (95% CI
0.72-0.94) for those consuming 1-2 servings per week, 0.82 (95% CI 0.68-0.99)
for those consuming 3-6 servings per week, and 1.10 (95% CI 0.84-1.45) for those
consuming ≥1 serving per day"
-
Theobroma cacao extract attenuates the development of Dermatophagoides farinae-induced
atopic dermatitis-like symptoms in NC/Nga mice - Food Chemistry, 1 Feb 17 -
"cacao extract (CE) ... atopic dermatitis (AD) ... CE, a
natural phytochemical-rich food, has potential therapeutic efficacy for the
treatment of AD" - [Nutra
USA]
-
The Impact of Cocoa
Flavanols on Cardiovascular Health - Phytother Res. 2016 Jul 1 -
"Thirteen SRs were identified and reviewed, and provided
strong evidence that dark chocolate did not reduce blood pressure. The evidence
was however strong for an association with increased flow-mediated
vasodilatation (FMD) and moderate for an improvement in blood glucose and lipid
metabolism. Our analysis showed that cocoa products with around 100 mg
epicatechin can reliably increase FMD, and that cocoa flavanol doses of around
900 mg or above may decrease blood pressure in specific individuals and/or if
consumed over longer periods. Out of 32 cocoa product samples analyzed, the two
food supplements delivered 900 mg of total flavanols and 100 mg epicatechin in
doses of 7 g and 20 g and 3 and 8 g, respectively. To achieve these doses with
chocolate, around 100 to 500 g (for 900 mg flavanols) and 50 to 200 g (for
100 mg epicatechin) would need to be consumed. Chocolate products marketed for
their purported health benefits should therefore declare the amounts of total
flavanols and epicatechin"
-
Flavanol-rich chocolate acutely improves arterial function and working memory
performance counteracting the effects of sleep deprivation in healthy
individuals - J Hypertens. 2016 Apr 14 -
"Flavanol-rich chocolate counteracted vascular impairment after sleep
deprivation and restored working memory performance. Improvement in cognitive
performance could be because of the effects of cocoa flavonoids on blood
pressure and peripheral and central blood flow"
-
Daily
chocolate consumption is inversely associated with insulin resistance and liver
enzymes in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study
- Br J Nutr. 2016 Mar 17:1-8 - "After excluding subjects
taking antidiabetic medications, higher chocolate consumption was associated
with lower HOMA-IR (β=-0·16, P=0·004), serum insulin levels (β=-0·16, P=0·003)
and γ-GT (β=-0·12, P=0·009) and ALT (β=-0·09, P=0·004), after adjustment for
age, sex, education, lifestyle and dietary confounding factors, including
intakes of fruits and vegetables, alcohol, polyphenol-rich coffee and tea. This
study reports an independent inverse relationship between daily chocolate
consumption and levels of insulin, HOMA-IR and liver enzymes in adults,
suggesting that chocolate consumption may improve liver enzymes and protect
against insulin resistance, a well-established risk factor for cardiometabolic
disorders" - See Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Squares, Midnight Reverie, 4.12 oz.,
86% Cacao (Pack of 4) at Amazon.com.
-
Chocolate intake is
associated with better cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study
- Appetite. 2016 Feb 10;100:126-132 - "Habitual
chocolate intake was related to cognitive performance, measured with an
extensive battery of neuropsychological tests. More frequent chocolate
consumption was significantly associated with better performance on the
Global Composite score, Visual-Spatial Memory and Organization, Working
Memory, Scanning and Tracking, Abstract Reasoning, and the Mini-Mental
State Examination" - [Nutra
USA]
-
Oral
supplementation with cocoa extract reduces UVB-induced wrinkles in
hairless mouse skin - J Invest Dermatol. 2016 Feb 5 -
"Cacao beans contain various bioactive
phytochemicals that could modify the pathogeneses of certain diseases.
Here, we report that oral administration of cacao powder (CP) attenuates
UVB-induced skin wrinkling by the regulation of genes involved in dermal
matrix production and maintenance ... These results suggest that cacao
extract may offer a protective effect against photoaging by inhibiting
the breakdown of dermal matrix, which leads to an overall reduction in
wrinkle formation"
-
Mechanisms by which Cocoa Flavanols Improve Metabolic Syndrome and
Related Disorders - J Nut Bio 2015 Dec 008 -
"Flavanols may antagonize digestive enzymes and glucose transporters,
causing a reduction in glucose excursion, which helps patients with
metabolic disorders maintain glucose homeostasis. Unabsorbed flavanols, and
ones that undergo enterohepatic recycling, will proceed to the colon where
they can exert prebiotic effects on the gut microbiota. Interactions with
the gut microbiota may improve gut barrier function, resulting in attenuated
endotoxin absorption. Cocoa may also positively influence insulin signaling,
possibly by relieving insulin-signaling pathways from oxidative stress and
inflammation and/or via a heightened incretin response" - [Nutra
USA]
-
The
Neuroprotective Effect of Dark Chocolate in Monosodium Glutamate-Induced
Nontransgenic Alzheimer Disease Model Rats: Biochemical, Behavioral, and
Histological Studies - J Diet Suppl. 2015 Dec 16:1-12 - "we
examined the effect of oral administration of dark chocolate (DC) containing
70% cocoa solids and 4% total polyphenol content for three months at a dose
of 500 mg/Kg body weight per day to 17-month-old monosodium glutamate
treated obese Sprague-Dawley rats, earlier characterized as a nontransgenic
AD (NTAD) rat model after reversal of obesity, diabetes, and consequent
cognitive impairments. The results demonstrated that DC reduced the
hyperglycemia, inhibited the cholinesterase activity in the hippocampal
tissue homogenates, and improved the cognitive performance in spatial memory
related Barnes maze task. Histological studies revealed an increase in cell
volume in the DC treated rats in the CA3 region of the hippocampus. These
findings demonstrated the benefits of DC in enhancing cognitive function and
cholinergic activity in the hippocampus of the aged NTAD rats while
correcting their metabolic disturbances"
-
Cocoa
Flavanol Supplementation Influences Skin Conditions of Photo-Aged Women: A
24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial - J Nutr. 2015 Nov 18
- "The consumption of dietary antioxidants is
considered to be a good strategy against photo-aging ... All participants
were moderately photo-aged Korean women with visible facial wrinkles (age
range: 43-86 y). Participants were randomly assigned to receive a placebo
beverage or cocoa beverage that contained 320 mg total cocoa flavanols/d ...
In moderately photo-aged women, regular cocoa flavanol consumption had
positive effects on facial wrinkles and elasticity. Cocoa flavanol
supplementation may contribute to the prevention of the progression of
photo-aging"
-
Regular
consumption of a cocoa product improves the cardiometabolic profile in
healthy and moderately hypercholesterolaemic adults - Br J Nutr. 2013
Jul 4:1-13 - "Cocoa products present great health
potential due to their high content of polyphenols, mainly of flavanols ...
A randomised, controlled, cross-over, free-living study was carried out in
healthy (n 24) and moderately hypercholesterolaemic (>2000 mg/l, n 20)
subjects to assess the influence of regularly consuming (4 weeks) two
servings (15 g each) of a cocoa product rich in fibre (containing 33.9 % of
total dietary fibre (TDF) and 13.9 mg/g of soluble polyphenols) in milk v.
consuming only milk (control) ... Serum HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were
increased (P< 0.001), whereas glucose (P= 0.029), IL-1β (P= 0.001) and IL-10
(P= 0.001) levels were decreased. The rest of the studied cardiovascular
parameters, as well as the anthropometric ones, remained similar ...
regularly consuming a cocoa product with milk improves cardiovascular health
by increasing HDL-C levels and inducing hypoglycaemic and anti-inflammatory
effects in healthy and hypercholesterolaemic individuals without causing
weight gain"
-
Cocoa
intake and arterial stiffness in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors
- Nutr J. 2012 Feb 10;11(1):8 - "Higher pulse wave
velocity and greater cardiovascular risk were found in non-cocoa consumers
as compared to high consumers (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis, these
differences disappeared after adjusting for age, gender, the presence of
diabetes, systolic blood pressure and antihypertensive and lipid-lowering
drug use. All other arterial stiffness measures (central and peripheral
augmentation index, ambulatory arterial stiffness index, ankle-brachial
index, and carotid intima-media thickness) showed no differences between the
different consumption groups"
-
Cardiovascular effects of flavanol-rich chocolate in patients with heart
failure - Eur Heart J. 2011 Dec 15 -
"Flavanol-rich chocolate (FRC) is beneficial for vascular and platelet
function by increasing nitric oxide bioavailability and decreasing oxidative
stress. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized by impaired
endothelial and increased platelet reactivity ... Twenty patients with CHF
were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial,
comparing the effect of commercially available FRC with cocoa-liquor-free
control chocolate (CC) on endothelial and platelet function in the short
term (2 h after ingestion of a chocolate bar) and long term (4 weeks, two
chocolate bars/day) ... Flow-mediated vasodilatation significantly improved
from 4.98 +/- 1.95 to 5.98 +/- 2.32% (P = 0.045 and 0.02 for between-group
changes) 2h after intake of FRC to 6.86 +/- 1.76% after 4 weeks of daily
intake (P = 0.03 and 0.004 for between groups). No effect on
endothelial-independent vasodilatation was observed. Platelet adhesion
significantly decreased from 3.9 +/- 1.3 to 3.0 +/- 1.3% (P = 0.03 and 0.05
for between groups) 2 h after FRC, an effect that was not sustained at 2 and
4 weeks. Cocoa-liquor-free CC had no effect, either on endothelial function
or on platelet function. Blood pressure and heart rate did not change in
either group"
-
Flavonoid-Rich Cocoa Consumption Affects Multiple Cardiovascular Risk
Factors in a Meta-Analysis of Short-Term Studies - J Nutr. 2011 Sep 28 -
"A growing body of evidence suggests that the
consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic compounds, particularly cocoa, may
have cardioprotective effects ... flavonoid-rich cocoa (FRC) .. In response
to FRC consumption, systolic blood pressure decreased by 1.63 mm Hg (P =
0.033), LDL cholesterol decreased by 0.077 mmol/L (P = 0.038), and HDL
cholesterol increased by 0.046 mmol/L (P = 0.037), whereas total
cholesterol, TG, and C-reactive protein remained the same. Moreover, insulin
resistance decreased (HOMA-IR: -0.94 points; P < 0.001), whereas FMD
increased (1.53%; P < 0.001). A nonlinear dose-response relationship was
found between FRC and FMD (P = 0.004), with maximum effect observed at a
flavonoid dose of 500 mg/d; a similar relationship may exist with HDL
cholesterol levels (P = 0.06). FRC consumption significantly improves blood
pressure, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, and FMD. These short-term
benefits warrant larger long-term investigations into the cardioprotective
role of FRC"
-
Effects
of cocoa products/dark chocolate on serum lipids: a meta-analysis - Eur
J Clin Nutr. 2011 May 11 - "Cocoa products, which
are rich sources of flavonoids, have been shown to reduce blood pressure and
the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dark chocolate contains saturated fat
and is a source of dietary calories; consequently, it is important to
determine whether consumption of dark chocolate adversely affects the blood
lipid profile. The objective was to examine the effects of dark
chocolate/cocoa product consumption on the lipid profile using published
trials. A detailed literature search was conducted via MEDLINE (from 1966 to
May 2010), CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled clinical
trials assessing the effects of flavanol-rich cocoa products or dark
chocolate on lipid profile. The primary effect measure was the difference in
means of the final measurements between the intervention and control groups.
In all, 10 clinical trials consisting of 320 participants were included in
the analysis. Treatment duration ranged from 2 to 12 weeks. Intervention
with dark chocolate/cocoa products significantly reduced serum low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) levels (differences in means
(95% CI) were -5.90 mg/dl (-10.47, -1.32 mg/dl) and -6.23 mg/dl (-11.60,
-0.85 mg/dl), respectively). No statistically significant effects were
observed for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (difference in means (95% CI):
-0.76 mg/dl (-3.02 to 1.51 mg/dl)) and triglyceride (TG) (-5.06 mg/dl
(-13.45 to 3.32 mg/dl)). These data are consistent with beneficial effects
of dark chocolate/cocoa products on total and LDL cholesterol and no major
effects on HDL and TG in short-term intervention trials"
-
Dietary
Epicatechin Promotes Survival of Obese Diabetic Mice and Drosophila
melanogaster - J Nutr. 2011 Apr 27 - "The
lifespan of diabetic patients is 7-8 y shorter than that of the general
population because of hyperglycemia-induced vascular complications and
damage to other organs such as the liver and skeletal muscle. Here, we
investigated the effects of epicatechin, one of the major flavonoids in
cocoa, on health-promoting effects in obese diabetic (db/db) mice (0.25% in
drinking water for 15 wk) and Drosophila melanogaster (0.01-8 mmol/L in
diet). Dietary intake of epicatechin promoted survival in the diabetic mice
(50% mortality in diabetic control group vs. 8.4% in epicatechin group after
15 wk of treatment), whereas blood pressure, blood glucose, food intake, and
body weight gain were not significantly altered. Pathological analysis
showed that epicatechin administration reduced the degeneration of aortic
vessels and blunted fat deposition and hydropic degeneration in the liver
caused by diabetes. Epicatechin treatment caused changes in diabetic mice
that are associated with a healthier and longer lifespan, including improved
skeletal muscle stress output, reduced systematic inflammation markers and
serum LDL cholesterol, increased hepatic antioxidant glutathione
concentration and total superoxide dismutase activity, decreased circulating
insulin-like growth factor-1 (from 303 +/- 21 mg/L in the diabetic control
group to 189 +/- 21 mg/L in the epicatechin-treated group), and improved
AMP-activated protein kinase-α activity in the liver and skeletal muscle.
Consistently, epicatechin (0.1-8 mmol/L) also promoted survival and
increased mean lifespan of Drosophila. Therefore, epicatechin may be a novel
food-derived, antiaging compound"
-
Effects of cocoa extract and dark chocolate on angiotensin-converting enzyme
and nitric oxide in human endothelial cells and healthy volunteers--a
nutrigenomics perspective - J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2011 Jan;57(1):44-50
- "Evidence suggests that cocoa from the bean of
Theobroma cacao L. has beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. The aim
of this study was to investigate if cocoa extract and dark chocolate
influence angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and nitric oxide (NO) in human
endothelial cells (in vitro) and in healthy volunteers (in vivo) ... ACE
activity and NO were measured at baseline and after 30, 60, and 180 minutes
in 16 healthy volunteers after a single intake of 75 g of dark chocolate
containing 72% cocoa. Significant inhibition of ACE activity (P < 0.01) and
significant increase of NO (P < 0.001) were seen in HUVEC. In the study
subjects, a significant inhibition of ACE activity (mean 18%) 3 hours after
intake of dark chocolate was seen, but no significant change in NO was seen.
According to ACE genotype, significant inhibition of ACE activity was seen
after 3 hours in individuals with genotype insertion/insertion and
deletion/deletion (mean 21% and 28%, respectively). Data suggest that intake
of dark chocolate containing high amount of cocoa inhibits ACE activity in
vitro and in vivo"
-
Flavanol-rich cocoa ameliorates lipemia-induced endothelial dysfunction
- Heart Vessels. 2010 Dec 8 - "Consumption of
flavanols improves chronic endothelial dysfunction. We investigated whether
it can also improve acute lipemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. In this
randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial, 18 healthy
subjects received a fatty meal with cocoa either rich in flavanols (918 mg)
or flavanol-poor. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), triglycerides, and free
fatty acids were then determined over 6 h. After the flavanol-poor fat
loading, the FMD deteriorated over 4 h. The consumption of flavanol-rich
cocoa, in contrast, improved this deterioration in hours 2, 3, and 4 without
abolishing it completely. Flavanols did not have any influence on
triglycerides or on free fatty acids. Flavanol-rich cocoa can alleviate the
lipemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, probably through an improvement in
endothelial NO synthase"
-
Effects
of Cocoa Extract and Dark Chocolate on Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and
Nitric Oxide in Human Endothelial Cells and Healthy Volunteers - J
Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2010 Oct 14 - "ACE activity
and NO were measured at baseline and after 30, 60 and 180 min in sixteen
healthy volunteers after a single intake of 75 g dark chocolate containing
72% cocoa. Significant inhibition of ACE activity p<0.01 and significant
increase of NO p<0.001 was seen in HUVEC. In study subjects, a significant
inhibition of ACE activity (mean 18%) 3 hours after intake of dark chocolate
was seen, but no significant change in NO was seen. According to ACE
genotype significant inhibition of ACE activity was seen after 3 hours in
individuals with genotype II and DD (mean 21% and 28% respectively). Data
suggests that intake of dark chocolate containing high amount of cocoa
inhibits ACE activity in vitro and in vivo"
-
High-cocoa polyphenol-rich chocolate improves HDL cholesterol in Type 2
diabetes patients - Diabet Med. 2010 Nov;27(11):1318-21 -
"Subjects were randomized to 45 g chocolate with or
without a high polyphenol content for 8 weeks and then crossed over after a
4-week washout period ... HDL cholesterol increased significantly with high
polyphenol chocolate (1.16 +/- 0.08 vs. 1.26 +/- 0.08 mmol/l, P = 0.05) with
a decrease in the total cholesterol: HDL ratio (4.4 +/- 0.4 vs. 4.1 +/- 0.4
mmol/l, P = 0.04). No changes were seen with the low polyphenol chocolate in
any parameters. Over the course of 16 weeks of daily chocolate consumption
neither weight nor glycaemic control altered from baseline" - The
Lindt - Excellence 90% Cocoa Bar are 3.5 ounces or 99 grams or about 90
grams of chocolate. So 45 grams would be half a bar per day.
-
Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with prevalent coronary heart
disease: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study
- Clin Nutr. 2010 Sep 19 - "Compared to subjects who
did not report any chocolate intake, odds ratios (95% CI) for CHD were 1.01
(0.76-1.37), 0.74 (0.56-0.98), and 0.43 (0.28-0.67) for subjects consuming
1-3 times/month, 1-4 times/week, and 5+ times/week, respectively (p for
trend <0.0001) adjusting for age, sex, family CHD risk group, energy intake,
education, non-chocolate candy intake, linolenic acid intake, smoking,
alcohol intake, exercise, and fruit and vegetables. Consumption of
non-chocolate candy was associated with a 49% higher prevalence of CHD
comparing 5+/week vs. 0/week [OR = 1.49 (0.96-2.32)]"
-
Chocolate Intake and
Incidence of Heart Failure: A Population-Based, Prospective Study of
Middle-Aged and Elderly Women - Circ Heart Fail. 2010 Aug 16 -
"Compared to no regular chocolate intake, the
multivariate-adjusted rate ratio of HF was 0.74 (95%CI 0.58-0.95) for those
consuming 1-3 servings of chocolate per month, 0.68 (95%CI 0.50-0.93) for
those consuming 1-2 servings per week, 1.09 (95%CI .74-1.62) for those
consuming 3-6 servings per week and 1.23 (95%CI 0.73-2.08) for those
consuming one or more servings per day"
-
Chocolate consumption in
relation to blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease in German
adults - Eur Heart J. 2010 Jul;31(13):1616-23 -
"The relative risk of the combined outcome of MI and stroke for top vs.
bottom quartiles was 0.61"
-
Impact
of cocoa flavanol consumption on blood pressure responsiveness to exercise
- Br J Nutr. 2010 Jan 19:1-5 - "randomised to
consume single servings of either a high-flavanol (HF, 701 mg) or a
low-flavanol (LF, 22 mg) cocoa beverage in a double-blind, cross-over design
... the BP response to exercise (area under BP curve) was attenuated by HF
compared with LF. BP increases were 68 % lower for DBP (P = 0.03) and 14 %
lower for mean BP (P = 0.05). FMD measurements were higher after taking HF
than after taking LF (6.1 (se 0.6) % v. 3.4 (se 0.5) %, P < 0.001). By
facilitating vasodilation and attenuating exercise-induced increases in BP,
cocoa flavanols may decrease cardiovascular risk and enhance the
cardiovascular benefits of moderate intensity exercise in at-risk
individuals"
-
Chocolate consumption and bone density in older women - Am J Clin Nutr.
2008 Jan;87(1):175-80 - "Higher frequency of
chocolate consumption was linearly related to lower bone density and
strength (P < 0.05). Daily (>/=1 times/d) consumption of chocolate, in
comparison to <1 time/wk, was associated with a 3.1% lower whole-body bone
density; with similarly lower bone density of the total hip, femoral neck,
tibia, and heel; and with lower bone strength in the tibia and the heel"
-
Continuous intake of polyphenolic compounds containing cocoa powder reduces
LDL oxidative susceptibility and has beneficial effects on plasma
HDL-cholesterol concentrations in humans - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007
Mar;85(3):709-17 - "A significantly greater increase
in plasma HDL cholesterol (24%) was observed in the cocoa group than in the
control group (5%)"
-
Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the Zutphen
Elderly Study - Arch Intern Med. 2006 Feb 27;166(4):411-7 -
"cocoa intake is inversely associated with blood
pressure and 15-year cardiovascular and all-cause mortality"
-
Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant
increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy
persons - Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Mar;81(3):611-4 -
"Dark, but not white, chocolate decreases blood
pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy persons"
-
Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases
plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults - J Am Coll Nutr.
2004 Jun;23(3):197-204 - "Flavonoid-rich dark
chocolate improves endothelial function"
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