 |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Site Directory General
Information COFFEE |
Research Yields Sweet Results By
Lori Holuta "Chemically
speaking, chocolate really is the world's perfect food" There's an extra reason to smile next time you receive a heart-shaped box of chocolates. New findings indicate that this traditional gift could make your heart healthier, reduce your risk of cancer, and possibly help you live a longer, healthier life. The Antioxidant
Connection Professor Tissa Kappagoda of the University of California - Davis has been studying the effects of chocolate's antioxidants (knows as flavanoids) on blood vessels in animals. She said, "Flavanoids found in cocoa stimulate the blood vessels to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscles in blood vessel walls." Cocoa is just one of a group of plants that produces these beneficial antioxidants. Other sources include tea, grapes, almonds, apples, wine and strawberries. Besides flavanoids, chocolate also contains vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, and can contain potassium, sodium, iron, fluorine, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Still More
To Be Learned Reaping
The Benefits Of Chocolate Of course, these findings lead us to an important question - will children still love chocolate when they find out it's good for them? |
|
|
|
 |
|
Researchers
at the Institute have also noticed that control subjects who ingested
chocolate showed increased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
(HDL). It has been established that a high ratio of HDL balancing your
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has the benefit of reducing the risk of
heart disease.
Cocoa
beans contain flavanoids, but various processing techniques will result
in different amounts in the finished product. "At this point, there are
going to be some products out there which have very low concentrations
of flavanoids", says Carl Keen at the University of California - Davis
Department of Nutrition. The chocolate industry has not yet taken steps
to include this information in the nutritional data listings on food products.
The Mars Company is an exception, and now marks some of their products
with their own "Cocoapro" trademark. According to the company, this indicates
"a promise to the consumer that chocolate products from Mars Incorporated
are made from cocoa beans that are specially handled to preserve their
natural goodness." This wording is vague, but seems to indicate that the
company is attempting to retain the naturally present flavanoids in the
finished product. It should also be noted that the Mars Company provides
the lion's share of funding for nutritional research regarding chocolate.