Chocolate Has Healing Power
Chocolate Healing Power
You’ve read it before: Dark chocolate, the richer in coca (beans) the better, is not only a to-die-for treat, it’s actually good for you. And just 1 ounce of a very special chocolate packs more than twice the healthy antioxidant punch of red wine or other chocolates.
Dove Dark, made by Mars, Inc., contains Cocoapro cocoa, a proprietary, specially processed cocoa that contains super high levels of flavanols—so high that Dove Dark is used in medical research. "Cocoa is rich in antioxidant flavonoids called flavanols, which include procyanidins, epicatechins, and catechins," explains Harold Schmitz, PhD, director of science at Mars, Inc. By the way, I can’t pronounce these words, let alone, know what they are. Studies have shown, however, that people with high blood levels of flavonoids have lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. So that’s what they do, even if you can’t pronounce the scientific terms.
Several studies in animals and humans have shown the heart-healthy effects of chocolate’s antioxidants. One of these studies, led by Penny Kris Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State University, found that people who ate a diet rich in cocoa powder and dark chocolate had lower oxidation levels of bad LDL cholesterol, higher blood antioxidant levels and 4% higher levels of good HDL cholesterol.
Here are the good things: Research shows that Cocoapro cocoa can act as an antioxidant. Researchers at the University of California, Davis compared the effects of 1-ounce of high flavanol Dove Dark chocolate with the same amount of low-flavanol dark chocolate on 10 healthy people. They found that only the Dove Dark had heart-healthy benefits: It reduced LDL oxidation and boosted antioxidant levels of HDL concentration in the blood. Other studies have shown that the higher the Cocoapro "dose," the higher the levels of antioxidants in the blood and the less LDL oxidation.
The Dark Dove chocolate kept blood platelets from clumping together. In the test tube, Cocoapro cocoa reduces blood clotting. It may also stabilize arterial plaque, making it less likely to travel and cause a stroke or heart attack. This effect is similar to that of aspirin. It also increases blood vessel flexibility. Unlike aspirin, some of the procyanidins in Cocoapro trigger the production of nitric oxide, which helps keep arteries flexible and increases bloodflow. This connection has potential implications for blood pressure control according to Schmitz.
Size does matter: "My research shows that a diet containing about an ounce of chocolate a day increases the good cholesterol and prevents bad cholesterol from oxidizing, a process that may lead to heart disease," says Kris Etherton. Does this mean you should run to the nearest supermarket and load you cart with Kit Kats and Milky Ways for "medicinal purposes"? You know better than that. "It’s okay to eat dark chocolate in small amounts, as long as you eat an otherwise healthy diet and can afford the calories."
Kris Etherton says, "Try eating it with nuts or fruit (volumizing with healthy ingredients) for more good fats and even more antioxidants."
But don’t use chocolate as a stand-in for fat-free fruits and vegetables. It just doesn’t work that way. An ounce of dark chocolate can contain a whopping 11 grams of fat, so you have to compromise elsewhere in your diet to make room for the calories. But if you eat only a 1-ounce piece of chocolate slowly and mindfully, it should satisfy your most serious chocolate cravings, which can help you stick to a healthy eating plan.
Joe Vinson, PhD, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, found that pure cocoa powder (not the instant hot chocolate type) has the most antioxidants, followed by dark chocolate, then milk chocolate.
The three healthiest chocolate bars are:
El Rey Gran Saman Dark Chocolate (70%) cocoa (1.4 oz) and 190 calories with 15 g of fat. Scharffen Berger Bittersweet, 70% cocoa (1 oz. bar) with 170 calories and 11 g of fat.
Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate, 54% cocoa (1.5 oz) with 240 calories and 16 grams of fat.
Get a Taste of the World through Chocolate! Buying rich, delicious chocolate from all over the world has never been easier. Here are three of our favorite web sites.
1. Chocosphere, 5200 S.E. Harney Drive, Portland, OR 97206; Toll-free (877) 992-4626
http://www.chocosphere.com/ .
2. Lake Champlain Chocolates, 720 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401; (800) 465-5909
http://www.lakechamplainchocolate.com/
3. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker; 914 Heinz Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710 (800) 930-4528
http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Now, remember that there is a bias here. The researcher from Mars, Inc. is obviously looking for the best results from eating chocolate. And consider that we are only talking about a 1-ounce serving per day. However, in comparing chocolate versus other antioxidants, Dove Dark Chocolate 1.3 oz. Contains 41 mg of catechins & epicatechins, while ordinary dark chocolate contains only 20 mg (1.3), and a small apple,(raw with skin) contains only 9 mg and 6 ounces of Black tea contains 5 mg.
Good chocolate does not come cheap.
El Rey Gran Saman costs about $2.50 per 2.8-ounce bar.
Lake Champlain Chocolate Bars cost $2.25 per 3-ounce bar
An 8-pack sampler of Scharffen Berger Chocolate (1-ounce bars) costs $16.
So there you have it, as spelled out in the latest issue of Prevention’s article on "Healing with Chocolate."
http://www.prevention.com/
Happy Valentine’s Day Stay healthy by watching what you eat and how much your eat and remember that you are what you eat. Looking healthy and vibrant has a lot to do with your food intake.
You’ve read it before: Dark chocolate, the richer in coca (beans) the better, is not only a to-die-for treat, it’s actually good for you. And just 1 ounce of a very special chocolate packs more than twice the healthy antioxidant punch of red wine or other chocolates.
Dove Dark, made by Mars, Inc., contains Cocoapro cocoa, a proprietary, specially processed cocoa that contains super high levels of flavanols—so high that Dove Dark is used in medical research. "Cocoa is rich in antioxidant flavonoids called flavanols, which include procyanidins, epicatechins, and catechins," explains Harold Schmitz, PhD, director of science at Mars, Inc. By the way, I can’t pronounce these words, let alone, know what they are. Studies have shown, however, that people with high blood levels of flavonoids have lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. So that’s what they do, even if you can’t pronounce the scientific terms.
Several studies in animals and humans have shown the heart-healthy effects of chocolate’s antioxidants. One of these studies, led by Penny Kris Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State University, found that people who ate a diet rich in cocoa powder and dark chocolate had lower oxidation levels of bad LDL cholesterol, higher blood antioxidant levels and 4% higher levels of good HDL cholesterol.
Here are the good things: Research shows that Cocoapro cocoa can act as an antioxidant. Researchers at the University of California, Davis compared the effects of 1-ounce of high flavanol Dove Dark chocolate with the same amount of low-flavanol dark chocolate on 10 healthy people. They found that only the Dove Dark had heart-healthy benefits: It reduced LDL oxidation and boosted antioxidant levels of HDL concentration in the blood. Other studies have shown that the higher the Cocoapro "dose," the higher the levels of antioxidants in the blood and the less LDL oxidation.
The Dark Dove chocolate kept blood platelets from clumping together. In the test tube, Cocoapro cocoa reduces blood clotting. It may also stabilize arterial plaque, making it less likely to travel and cause a stroke or heart attack. This effect is similar to that of aspirin. It also increases blood vessel flexibility. Unlike aspirin, some of the procyanidins in Cocoapro trigger the production of nitric oxide, which helps keep arteries flexible and increases bloodflow. This connection has potential implications for blood pressure control according to Schmitz.
Size does matter: "My research shows that a diet containing about an ounce of chocolate a day increases the good cholesterol and prevents bad cholesterol from oxidizing, a process that may lead to heart disease," says Kris Etherton. Does this mean you should run to the nearest supermarket and load you cart with Kit Kats and Milky Ways for "medicinal purposes"? You know better than that. "It’s okay to eat dark chocolate in small amounts, as long as you eat an otherwise healthy diet and can afford the calories."
Kris Etherton says, "Try eating it with nuts or fruit (volumizing with healthy ingredients) for more good fats and even more antioxidants."
But don’t use chocolate as a stand-in for fat-free fruits and vegetables. It just doesn’t work that way. An ounce of dark chocolate can contain a whopping 11 grams of fat, so you have to compromise elsewhere in your diet to make room for the calories. But if you eat only a 1-ounce piece of chocolate slowly and mindfully, it should satisfy your most serious chocolate cravings, which can help you stick to a healthy eating plan.
Joe Vinson, PhD, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, found that pure cocoa powder (not the instant hot chocolate type) has the most antioxidants, followed by dark chocolate, then milk chocolate.
The three healthiest chocolate bars are:
El Rey Gran Saman Dark Chocolate (70%) cocoa (1.4 oz) and 190 calories with 15 g of fat. Scharffen Berger Bittersweet, 70% cocoa (1 oz. bar) with 170 calories and 11 g of fat.
Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate, 54% cocoa (1.5 oz) with 240 calories and 16 grams of fat.
Get a Taste of the World through Chocolate! Buying rich, delicious chocolate from all over the world has never been easier. Here are three of our favorite web sites.
1. Chocosphere, 5200 S.E. Harney Drive, Portland, OR 97206; Toll-free (877) 992-4626
http://www.chocosphere.com/ .
2. Lake Champlain Chocolates, 720 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401; (800) 465-5909
http://www.lakechamplainchocolate.com/
3. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker; 914 Heinz Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710 (800) 930-4528
http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Now, remember that there is a bias here. The researcher from Mars, Inc. is obviously looking for the best results from eating chocolate. And consider that we are only talking about a 1-ounce serving per day. However, in comparing chocolate versus other antioxidants, Dove Dark Chocolate 1.3 oz. Contains 41 mg of catechins & epicatechins, while ordinary dark chocolate contains only 20 mg (1.3), and a small apple,(raw with skin) contains only 9 mg and 6 ounces of Black tea contains 5 mg.
Good chocolate does not come cheap.
El Rey Gran Saman costs about $2.50 per 2.8-ounce bar.
Lake Champlain Chocolate Bars cost $2.25 per 3-ounce bar
An 8-pack sampler of Scharffen Berger Chocolate (1-ounce bars) costs $16.
So there you have it, as spelled out in the latest issue of Prevention’s article on "Healing with Chocolate."
http://www.prevention.com/
Happy Valentine’s Day Stay healthy by watching what you eat and how much your eat and remember that you are what you eat. Looking healthy and vibrant has a lot to do with your food intake.
posted by Stan Kent at
2:59 PM
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