Tag Archives: Dark Chocolate

CHocolate & Body Fat

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The Higher The Consumption of Chocolate, The Lower The Level of Body Fat

Yes ladies, it’s time to crack open the bubbly and toast the University of Granada researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences. They have scientifically disproven the outdated belief that eating chocolate is fattening. If you don’t enjoy exercising, you may also appreciate that the research was independent of diet and physical activity.

Virtually everyone likes chocolate, and no other food resembles chocolate in flavour, aroma and texture. Chocolate is also highest on the list of foods subject to cravings which leads to guilt when we consume an excess.

In an article published this week in the journal Nutrition, the authors have shown that higher consumption of chocolate is associated with lower levels of total fat (fat deposited all over the body) and central fat (abdominal), independently of whether or not the individual participates in regular physical activity and of diet, among other factors.

The researchers determined whether greater chocolate consumption associated with higher body mass index and other indicators of total and central body fat in adolescents participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. This project, financed by the European Union, studies eating habits and lifestyle in young people in 9 European countries, including Spain.

The pleasurable experience of eating chocolate can alter mood by directly producing a feeling of well-being and by distracting us from feelings such as anxiety and depression. In turn, relief from distressing mood states could reinforce liking for chocolate. These changes in mood could be related to any of the previous theories.

In a recent study by Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton of Pennsylvania State University, subjects who followed a diet rich in cocoa butter saw no rise in their blood cholesterol levels.

Independent of diet and physical activity

The study involved 1458 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years and results showed that a higher level of chocolate consumption associated with lower levels of total and central fat when these were estimated through body mass index, body fat percentage–measured by both skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance analysis–and waist circumference. These results were independent of the participant’s sex, age, sexual maturation, total energy intake, intake of saturated fats, fruit and vegetables, consumption of tea and coffee, and physical activity.

As the principle author Magdalena Cuenca-Garcia explains, although chocolate is considered a high energy content food–it is rich in sugars and saturated fats–“recent studies in adults suggest chocolate consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders”.

In fact, chocolate is rich in flavonoids–especially catechins–which have many healthy properties: “they have important antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects and can help prevent ischemic heart disease”.

Recently, another cross-sectional study in adults conducted by University of California researchers found that more frequent chocolate consumption also associated with a lower body mass index. What’s more, these results were confirmed in a longitudinal study in women who followed a catechin-rich diet.

The effect could be partly due to the influence of catechins on cortisol production and on insulin sensitivity, both of which are related with overweight and obesity.

Calorie impact is not the only thing that matters

The University of Granada researchers have sought to go further and analyse the effect of chocolate consumption at a critical age like adolescence by also controlling other factors that could influence the accumulation of fat. The research, which is both novel and, perhaps, the largest and best-controlled study to date, is the first to focus on the adolescent population. It includes a large number of body measures, objective measurement of physical activity, detailed dietary recall with 2 non-consecutive 24-hour registers using image-based software, and controls for the possible effect of a group of key variables.

In Nutrition, the authors stress that the biological impact of foods should not be evaluated solely in terms of calories. “The most recent epidemiologic research focuses on studying the relation between specific foods–both for their calorie content and for their components–and the risk factors for developing chronic illnesses, including overweight and obesity”.

Despite their results, the authors insist that chocolate consumption should always be moderate. “In moderate quantities, chocolate can be good for you, as our study has shown. But, undoubtedly, excessive consumption is prejudicial. As they say: you can have too much of a good thing”.

The University of Granada researchers stress that their findings “are also important from a clinical perspective since they contribute to our understanding of the factors underlying the control and maintenance of optimal weight”.

Some things to keep in mind when selecting a chocolate bar:
1) The darker the better
2) stay away from chocolate with soy, soy lecithin, palm oil, natural flavor, whey, yeast, polyglycerols and other nasty chemicals that don’t belong in the ingredient list
3) No refined sugar is necessary to make a great tasting chocolate bar 4) Cacao should be preferably stone ground and preferably organic (if it’s not raw the lower the antioxidant value)
5) cacao beans should NOT be gas dried (know your source).

Source:
nutritionjrnl.com

Mae Chan holds degrees in both physiology and nutritional sciences. She is also blogger and and technology enthusiast with a passion for disseminating information about health.

from:    http://preventdisease.com/news/13/111113_The-Higher-The-Consumption-of-Chocolate-The-Lower-Level-of-Body-Fat.shtml

Eat MORE Dark Chocolate

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chocolate

Seven reasons to eat more dark chocolate

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 by: PF

(NaturalNews) More and more health reasons for eating dark chocolate keep coming in. Many will be pointed out here, then explained further in the sources indicated by numbers in parenthesis. But first, understand thatorganic dark chocolatebrought into the market place under fair trade agreements is best.
Some of the major cheap chocolate producers use child slaves in Africa to pick cacao. The more dark the chocolate with less sugar, milk, and other ingredients, the closer it is to cacao. A range of at least 70% to 90% cacao in dark chocolate is both tasty and healthy.

Milk chocolate contains milk, which negates the health benefits, and sugar, which feeds cancer cells. Avoid it.

According to Dr. Debra Miller’s statement inChemistry Central Journal, “Cacao seeds are a ‘Super Fruit’ providing nutritive value beyond that of their macronutrient composition.” (1)

Interestingly, one doesn’t have to gorge lots of chocolate every day to get the health benefits. A little treat, like a square or two daily will support good health.

A study of almost 20,000 participants in Germany concluded that those who ate 7.5 grams of dark chocolate a day received most of the heart protection benefits of chocolate. Organic dark chocolate bars are usually 100 grams. (1)

Benefits of dark chocolate

Cardiac and stroke protection :Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, which lowers risks of heart attacks and strokes. (1)

Reduces risk of colon cancer :Cocoa polyphenols from dark chocolate reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. This was determined in a study by the Science and Technology Institute of Food and Nutrition in Spain, which was published in the journalMolecular Nutrition.(2)

Healthy fats :The fat in chocolate does little to raise cholesterol. It contains abundant oleic acid, the type of fatty acid found in olive oil, which helps prevent heart disease and promote antioxidant activity. (3)

Enhances glucose metabolism :Dark chocolate (70% plus) candy bars inhibit blood sugar issues to help prevent diabetes and obesity. How’s that for a surprise! (3)

Improves mood :Studies have shown that dark chocolate contains serotonin and increases endorphin production. It’s a natural anti-depressant. (4)

Improves brain function :Nottingham University professor Ian MacDonald used MRI analysis to determine improved brain activity with people who had just consumed cocoa drinks. (4) Hopefully they didn’t have to undergo too many MRI scans that would fry their brains!

Eases PMS issues :Here’s a hint for husbands and boyfriends to give dark chocolate to your wives and lady friends. (5)

There you have it: many reasons to enjoyorganic dark chocolate that is at least 70% cacao.There are brands with 80% to 90% as well. These aren’t your kiddy chocolates with lots of sugar or milk or creamy nugget fillings, etc. They are semi-sweet at best.

The more bitter the better. It’s not difficult to get used to if you really like chocolate. Enjoy chocolate with the knowledge that it’s actually good for you.

From, and to Learn more, go to:    http://www.naturalnews.com/035035_dark_chocolate_health_benefits_cacao.html#ixzz1nEN1GzKE

 

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

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The “Junk Food” that May Help Slash Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by 37%

Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 21 2011

By Dr. Mercola

A recent meta-analysis sought to evaluate the association between chocolate consumption and the risk of developing cardiometabolic disorders. “Cardiometabolic disorders” is a term that represents a cluster of interrelated risk factors that promote the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

These risk factors include:

  • Hypertension
  • Elevated fasting glucose
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Abdominal obesity
  • Elevated triglycerides

In the featured analysis, researchers pooled the results of seven studies that collectively included more than 114,000 participants. Five of the seven studies reported a beneficial association between chocolate consumption and reduced risk of developing cardiometabolic disorders.

Bear in mind that not all chocolate is created equal. I’ll review that in more detail below. As a general rule, any time “chocolate” is evaluated for its health benefits, we’re dealing with dark unprocessed chocolate and/or raw cacao—not your average processed milk chocolate candy bar. That said, the featured analysis found that the highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with:

  • 37 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease, and
  • 29 percent reduction in stroke

The authors concluded that:

“Based on observational evidence, levels of chocolate consumption seem to be associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiometabolic disorders.”

Chocolate, Good for Your Cardiovascular Health

This isn’t the first time researchers have lauded dark chocolate as a heart-healthy choice. Five years ago, researchers discovered that small amounts of dark chocolate can cut your risk of heart attackbecause, like aspirin, chocolate has a biochemical effect that reduces the clumping of platelets, which cause blood to clot. Platelet clumping can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack.

Then, in 2008, researchers found that specially formulated raw cocoa powder has the potential to prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetics. Diabetic patients were given a special high-flavonol cocoa drink for one month, which brought their blood vessel function from severely impaired to normal. The improvement was actually as large as has been observed with exercise and many common diabetic medications.

More recently, researchers also discovered that a compound in dark chocolate, called epicatechin (a flavonoid), may protect your brain after a stroke by increasing cellular signals that shield nerve cells from damage. A stroke is similar to a heart attack, but occurs when the blood supply to your brain becomes blocked or reduced, as opposed to blocking the blood supply to your heart. This deprives your brain of necessary oxygen and nutrients, causing your brain cells to begin to die within minutes. Certain antioxidants such as epicatechins (which are also found in tea, red wine, and certain fruits and vegetables) may offer significant benefits to stroke victims.

In that study, the animals that ingested epicatechin 1.5 hours prior to an induced stroke suffered significantly less brain damage than the ones that had not been given the compound. It appears the antioxidant stimulates two pathways known to shield nerve cells in your brain from damage, so when the stroke hits, your brain is “on standby,” if you will, ready to protect itself because these pathways are activated. According to the lead author, even a small amount of cacao may be sufficient to reap this protective health benefit!

Beware: Not All Chocolate is Created Equal

As mentioned at the beginning, these types of health benefits are mainly due to the high amounts of antioxidants present in pure cocoa, and any time you process the cocoa it loses its nutritional value. Hence, don’t expect to get these kinds of results from regular chocolate candy. Few chocolates still contain the active ingredient. This means that the chocolate that offers the greatest health benefits is also the kind that few people find truly mouthwatering, as it is very bitter – NOT sweet.

to read more, go to:    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/21/can-eating-this-sweet-treat-decrease-risk-of-the-1-cause-of-death.aspx?e_cid=20110921_DNL_art_1