The chemicals known as flavanols, which are found in chocolate as well as in fruits and vegetables, can reverse smoking-related damage to blood vessels by boosting the levels of nitric oxide in the blood. This raises the possibility of a potential new treatment for cardiovascular disease.
Improved Blood Vessel Response
Researchers compared the effect of flavanols on a dozen smokers participating in a double-blind study. Half were given a cocoa drink rich in flavanols, and the rest had a drink that tasted the same but had far fewer flavanols.
Those who drank cocoa containing as much as 185 mgs of flavanols experienced significant increases in circulating nitric oxide and flow-mediated dilation -- a definite improvement in function. Moreover, the benefits disappeared when patients were given a drug that interferes with nitric oxide signaling.
More Flavanols Than the Usual
The study, however, was designed specifically to identify the active ingredients, so the cocoa drink used was specially processed to retain much higher levels of flavanols than are typically found in commercially-available cocoa drinks.
Smokers Chosen to Test Cardiovascular Benefits
Smokers were chosen for the study because their blood vessels tend to respond poorly to changes in blood flow, possibly related to impairments in how nitric oxide sends signals to the inner lining (the endothelium) of blood vessels, which is in turn a warning sign for cardiovascular disease.
The study was not designed to find out whether flavanols could specifically protect smokers, but rather to investigate the effects of cardiovascular disease in general.
This newsletter has examined the potential health benefits of this component of chocolate before, and these results certainly match a Greek study in which eating dark chocolate offered other heart-healthy benefits.
Unfortunately, however, the processing method used for most chocolate destroys most of the beneficial phytochemicals, and chocolate is loaded with sugar, one of the worst foods you can eat, which tends to counterbalance many of the benefits.
Also, the flavanols in chocolate are also found in fruits such as blueberries, apples and grapes, and most all vegetables, including broccoli, greens and onions. This is, obviously, the method I would prefer most people utilize to get their flavanols.
Still, the evidence shows that a bit of chocolate if you follow a few sensible guidelines: