There is a new health food in town: chocolate. Increasingly, chocolate shows links to positive changes in the body. These range from reduced blood pressure, to increased insulin sensitivity, to a boost in blood vessel and arterial function. But don't think that you can just stock up on your average grocery store bar. Chocolate's health benefits come with bars that have a higher cocoa content.
How Chocolate Affects Arteries - Dilation
Scientists have been researching the health benefits of chocolate in recent years. A study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco in 2002 sought to see if there was a connection between chocolate consumption and the function of healthy participants' blood vessels. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, half of the participants were given 1.6 ounces of dark chocolate each day for two weeks. Researchers gave the other half of study participants chocolate that was dark but contained low levels of flavonoids, the antioxidants believed to be responsible for chocolate's beneficial properties. After two weeks, researchers tested the ability of participants' brachial artery to expand or dilate. They found that the high-flavonoid group's arteries showed improved dilation, while the low-flavonoid group's vessels actually showed decreased ability to dilate.
How Chocolate Affects Arteries - Endothelium
The endothelium is a thin layer of cells that line the inside of all the blood vessels in our circulatory system. By releasing nitric oxide, these cells protect the vessels by helping to inhibit inflammation and increase dilation. A study published in the June 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Hypertension" reported that researchers found chocolate consumption not only increased the dilation capabilities of arteries and other blood vessels, but also helped support and boost the endothelial function within the vessels of healthy adults. Researchers concluded that chocolate could have an overall protective affect on the cardiovascular system.
Chocolate and Lipids
Researchers have been examining the effects of dark chocolate on cholesterol levels for some time, and results have been quite promising. A study published in the February 2011 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" reported that scientists have found new evidence that shows how chocolate raises HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and even serves to help lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Apparently, the antioxidants in chocolate work to increase HDL and decrease LDL levels within the liver and intestines. These results are consistent with quite a few other studies conducted on chocolate's beneficial properties.
Why Chocolate is Beneficial
Chocolate contains flavonoids, antioxidants shown to reduce and even reverse cell damage. Research shows these flavonoids also help to lower blood pressure, increase the function of arteries and blood vessels, and improve lipid profiles. To get the maximum benefit from your chocolate, Colorado State University suggests that you select dark chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cocoa, and eat it in moderation, and never in lieu of fruits or vegetables.
References
- "The FASEB Journal"; Effects of Flavonoid-Rich Dark Chocolate on Brachial Artery Dilation in Healthy People; Mary Engler, PhD RN, et. al.; April 2003
- "American Journal of Hypertension"; Effect of Dark Chocolate on Arterial Function in Healthy Individuals; C. Vlachopoulos, et. al.; June 2005
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Cacao Polyphenols Influence the Regulation of Apolipoprotein in HepG2 and Caco2 Cells; Akiko Yasuda, et. al.; February 2011
- Colorado State University; Will Dark Chocolate Every Day Keep the Doctor Away?; Shirley Perryman, MS, RD; February 2010
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