Let’s be honest. Cupid is not really thinking about the healing properties of chocolate. He is more occupied with true love (as well as the fact that he’s naked). But us? We’re all about the chocolate.
We must exercise restraint, of course, because we couldn’t find a single study that says that eating an entire box of chocolates is good for you. (Pity.) However, if you manage yourself well this Valentine’s Day, you can enjoy your chocolate and come away a little bit healthier in the process.
A short tour of the science:
One of the largest recent studies was done by the Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan. The findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, focused on inflammation. From a story in Science Daily:
"We started from the hypothesis," says Romina di Giuseppe, 33, lead author of the study, "that high amounts of antioxidants contained in the cocoa seeds, in particular flavonoids and other kinds of polyphenols, might have beneficial effects on the inflammatory state. Our results have been absolutely encouraging: people having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. In other words, their inflammatory state is considerably reduced. The 17% average reduction observed may appear quite small, but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome.”
Chocolate amounts are critical, Giuseppe said. "We are talking of a moderate consumption. The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week. Beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear.”
OK. So, everything in moderation. We can live with that. And remember, we’re talking about dark chocolate here. Not milk chocolate or white chocolate. Dark chocolate even makes an appearance in the University of Michigan’s “Healing Foods Pyramid,” where these benefits are listed:
• Contains flavonoids called procyanidins & epicatechins; flavonoids are part of a group of antioxidants known as polyphenols and are found in a variety of foods including tea, red wine, and various fruits and vegetables
• Decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation
• Reduces the risk of blood clots
• Increases blood flow in arteries
• May lower high blood pressure
• Cocoa may have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels because it consists mainly of stearic acid and oleic acid. Stearic acid is a saturated fat but unlike most saturated fatty acids, it does not raise blood cholesterol levels. Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, does not raise cholesterol and may even reduce it.
• May improve mood and pleasure by boosting serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain
• Contains a number of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium
In 2003, a study cited in the Journal of the American Medical Association drew a connection between dark chocolate and lowering high blood pressure. That study was done by Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany. And in an issue of the journal Nature that same year, researchers at Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome focused on the fact that dark chocolate is filled with antioxidants, which help combat free radicals, those cells that “are implicated in heart disease and other ailments,” says WebMD.
And just last year, Prevention Magazine included dark chocolate as one of the vital MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) in its Flat-Belly Diet. Even that chubby little Cupid would appreciate that.
The Science Daily story:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923104408.htm
The University of Michigan’s healing foods pyramid:
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/dark_chocolate.htm
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/index.htm
From WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate
From Prevention Magazine’s Flat Belly Diet:
http://flatbellydiet.prevention.com/Article_Template.asp?sname=DefaultOffer&mktSSOfferId=FBD24716&mktBKOfferId=PVN24251