Green Drink Reviews

Chocolate and Cardiovascular Health

November 17th, 2008

by Annmarie Kostyk
Chocolate is good for your heart! Surprised? Among its many healthy attributes, chocolate is rich in flavonoids, just like apples, cranberries, peanuts, onions, tea and red wine. Dr. Carl Keen’s research at the University of California Davis says that the best way to get benefits from the heart enhancing effects of chocolate are to consume cocoa powder and a moderate amount of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate gives the highest amount of chocolate solids in a bar and possesses the lowest percentage of both fat and sugar. Dark chocolate is a natural heart protector.

In comparing dark chocolate with red wine, both full of rich phenols for your heart, Dr. Andrew Waterhouse finds that one and a half ounces of dark chocolate is the equivalent of phenols found in a glass of red wine. You get similar results from cocoa powder which contains 75 percent the amount of phenols found in red wine. Chocolate protects the development of heart disease by oxidizing LDLs (bad cholesterol) which protects them from damaging artery walls and helps reduce the chance of heart disease.

Dr. Joe Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton says that one cup of black tea is the equivalent of antioxidants to one dark chocolate bar. Pennsylvania State’s nutrition department shows that even after elimination of other foods rich in flavonoids such as tea, coffee, onions, apples, wine, beans, soy, and apple and grape juices, both cocoa powder and dark chocolate has a significant effect on the LDL levels.

Don’t forget about the cocoa when you incorporate this incredible food into your diet. Studies are further supported by The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, Amsterdam. The research studies how cocoa affected the mortality of 1,000 elderly Dutch male subjects. The men who consume the highest amount of cocoa had a 50 percent less chance risk of cardiovascular diseased than those consuming less cocoa. Researchers at Cornell University found that the highest antioxidant levels are in the hot chocolate. It is almost two times stronger than the red wine, two to three times stronger than green tea, and four to five times stronger than black tea. Avoid the extra sugar and calories found in hot chocolate by using skim or soy milk for regular milk and using an artificial sweetener. Another option is to use water and flavorings such as cloves, vanilla and a spot of honey the way the ancients liked to drink theirs. Cocoa can be consumed either hot or cold, but hot chocolate releases more antioxidants than cold chocolate.

Chocolate reduces blood pressure too! Dr. Dirk Taubert and his colleagues of the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany finds that dark chocolate consumption reduced the average systolic blood pressure by -2.9 and diastolic blood pressure by -1.9. There are no changes in the participants’ body weight, plasma levels or glucose. Hypertension declines from 86 percent to 68 percent. The participants in the white chocolate group have no changes in either the systolic or diastolic reading. The conclusion of this study shows that eating about 30 calories a day of dark chocolate can lower blood pressure without any side effects. How fantastic is that? Dark chocolate and cocoa can lessen your chance of cardiovascular disease through lower LDLs, bad cholesterol, bring more flavanols into your diet and lower your blood pressure.

Even though chocolate has a high fat content and most of that fat comes from saturated fat, chocolate is still good for your heart in healthy people with a balanced diet. It doesn’t raise cholesterol levels, actually helps decrease bad cholesterol and keeps those arteries running clear by thinning the blood. Cocoa and chocolate have the same life saving properties as an aspirin a day. To keep your diet balanced, the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Department recommends up to seven ounces of dark chocolate per week averaging one ounce per day. Don’t forget, you can also get your servings from pure, unsweetened cocoa powder. So eat up! Dark chocolate and cocoa are considered a great addition to a balanced diet to help your heart.

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