THE NEXT SUPERFOOD

Chocolate – who can resist it?  Who wants to resist it?  Personally, I have never been opposed to chocolate despite all the health gurus telling me that chocolate is bad for me.  I am so glad that research is proving that those health gurus’ theories were incorrect.

In an article by Charlene Laino entitled “Chocolate Good for the Heart,” she indicated that chocolate can cut the risk of heart disease by over 30%.  For the numbers people, she actually said 37% and stroke was reduced by 29%.  Oscar H. Franco, researcher, MD, and PhD from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom stated, “Regularly eating chocolate could cut the risk of heart disease and stroke by about one-third.”^1-2   Yes! I knew it.  Chocolate is good for me.

So, how does this chocolate phenomenon work?  Studies have shown that chocolate fights against risk factors for heart disease and stroke.  It combats high blood pressure by producing antioxidants called polyphenols that increase nitric oxide production in the body.¹  So what?  Increased nitric oxide improves blood flow in the arteries and reduces blood pressure.  In addition, these antioxidants destroy the harmful free radicals involved in heart disease and diabetes.³

Studies have shown that dark chocolate has the best benefits amongst the chocolates.  Dr. Taubert mentioned that eating a 100-gram dark chocolate candy bar every day led to a decrease of the systolic blood pressure (upper number for pumping pressure) by 5 and diastolic (lower number for resting pressure) by 2.  However, he specified that the participants of his study had to reduce their caloric intake by 400 calories to balance their normal caloric intake for the candy bar.⁴

Then, there is the thought that chocolate give some people headaches.  Personally, I get a headache thinking about the possibility of life without chocolate.  However, a study presented at the 2009 International Headache Conference suggested that cocoa powder has a healing effect on inflamed cells associated with migraine headaches reversing previous theories that chocolate triggers migraines.  What – migraines are not triggered by chocolate?  The antioxidants in chocolate counteract the cell damage incurred by free radicals.  Although this study was performed on laboratory rats – oh to be a laboratory rat in the chocolate study, it does show promise that the same may occur in humans.⁵

One more note – a study presented in the Journal of Internal Medicine expressed that the risk of occurrence of a second heart attack could be reduced by eating chocolate several times per week.  Obviously, chocolate’s effect on lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow through blood vessels helps the heart function better and helps to reduce cell damage.⁶

Then, we must not forget that the Aztecs used chocolate as an aphrodisiac.  There is no doubt that chocolate plays a key role in stimulating the pleasure center of our brain as well as our stomach.  Perhaps, part of chocolate’s positive effects is due to this stimulation of the brain.  If laughter helps to reduce pain and strengthen health, maybe chocolate has a similar effect.  Alright, I guess I’m trying to stretch for one more reason that chocolate is good for me.

Of course, we have to be concerned about the negative aspects of chocolate such as the high sugar, fat, and calorie content.  However, the brain needs sugar for energy (my first justification).  The brain burns fat (my second justification).  The brain burns calories to convert fat and sugar to energy (my third justification).  Okay, I realize that I have to be concerned with the potential weight gain through indulgence.   I also understand that I lose the heart benefits when I indulge.

So, I await the next great study about chocolate.  Now, we know that chocolate is good for us.  Perhaps, the old adage of “an apple a day” needs to be modified to “a chocolate-covered apple a day.”  What do you think?  I think I just created the next “superfood.”  Bon appétit!

References:

1. Laino C. Chocolate Good for the Heart: Regularly Eating Chocolate Cuts Risk of Heart Disease by About One-Third. [homepage on the internet]. 2011 [cited 2011 Oct 10]. Available from Website: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110829/chocolate-good-for-the-heart.
2. Buitrago-Lopez A, Sanderson J, Johnson L, Warnakula S, Wood A, Di Angelantonio E, Franco OH. Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2011;343.
3. Serafini M, Bugianesi R, Maiani G, Valtuena S, De Santis S, Crozier A. Plasma Antioxidants From Chocolate. Nature 2003 August 28;424:1013.
4. Taubert D, Roesen R, Lehmann C, Jung N, Schömig E. Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide. JAMA 2007;298(1):49-60.
5. Abbey, M.J., Patil, V.V., Vause, C.V., Durham, P.L. Repression of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Expression by a Threobroma cacao Extract, J Ethnopharmacol, 2008;115:238-248.
6. Lewis JR, Prince RL, Zhu K, Devine A, Thompson PL, Hodgson JM. Habitual Chocolate Intake and Vascular Disease: A Prospective Study of Clinical Outcomes in Older Women. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(20):1857-1858.

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