 Small
daily doses of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate eaten over a two-week
period have been found to help the blood vessels to better dilate,
according to a recent study. Scientists targeted epicatechin, a specific
flavonoid that was absorbed at high levels in the blood, to be particularly
beneficial in blood vessel functions. Researchers believe elevated
levels of epicatechin trigger the release of active substances that
increase blood flow through arteries and improve heart health.
The beneficial effects of chocolate have been shown previously
to improve the inner lining of blood vessels after a single use
or several uses over a few days.
Flavonoids, chemical compounds with antioxidant properties found
in a variety of plants, have been shown to promote a number of cardiovascular
benefits, including decreasing bad LDL cholesterol as well as the
body’s inflammatory immune responses and inhibiting the aggregation
of blood platelets that contribute to blood clots that produce heart
attacks and strokes.
During the double-blind study, 11 of 21 patients received 1.6 ounces
of flavonoid-rich chocolate everyday for two weeks. The rest ate
chocolate with low flavonoid content.
At the end of the trial, those who ate flavonoid-rich chocolate
had a better reading of flow-mediated dilation, a marker for determining
heart disease risks, than those who didn’t. Researchers also
determined concentrations of the cocoa flavonoid epicatechin rose
significantly in blood samples taken from those who received high-flavonoid
chocolate too.
Interestingly, the blood cholesterol levels in study participants
didn’t increase either.
Scientists have developed better ways of detecting flavonoids over
the last five years. Dark chocolate has been found to have more
flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red
wine and black and green teas.
Researchers say most consumers don’t understand chocolate
is derived from plants, as are fruits and vegetables.
Because the standard manufacturing of chocolate eliminates as much
as half of its flavonoids, some firms have lowered heat and alkalization
that preserves up to 95 percent of chocolate flavonoids. The study
also suggested eating chocolate with at least a 70 percent cocoa
content, in moderation, can be beneficial in conjunction with exercise
and a healthy diet.
Eurek
Alert June 1, 2004
Science
Blog May 31, 2004
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