Chocolate is Good for Your Heart
A dark chocolate treat can be good for your health.
Scientists combed through piles of research performed over the last several years, laboring day and night to complete the largest study to date on a topic dear to the hearts of many Americans...chocolate. More specifically, they wanted to answer the question, "Is chocolate good for your heart?" The results are in:
Consuming higher levels of chocolate is associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared to consuming little to no chocolate.
Prior research suggested that chocolate may protect against high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. This study, analyzing the results of over 100,000 people for 8-16 years, confirmed the beneficial effects of eating chocolate.
But wait...put down the candy bar.
There's clearly some benefit, but more research is needed to determine exactly why. Cocoa is loaded with antioxidants and plant chemicals that seem to be quite beneficial. Researchers believe that chocolate's ability to increase the body's production of nitric oxide may prove key to its heart healthy benefits. Nitric oxide can help relax blood vessels, improving blood pressure and blood flow through the arteries. That means less stress on your heart. Hearts under less stress are happier. The American Heart Association President wants to package it in a pill, but don't expect to pick up your prescription of chocolate at the local pharmacy any time soon.
Not all chocolate is created equal.
Research indicates the darker the chocolate, the healthier it is. We agree. Milk chocolate is loaded with industrial oils, processed sugars, and other junk. White chocolate is not chocolate (it's basically a bar of sugar, milk solids, and fat), so don't go there. Dark chocolate can be an excellent treat as part of a healthy diet. If you don't like the taste of dark chocolate, you will. You've just been eating too much sugar. Work your way toward darker and darker chocolates. Your taste buds will change to better enjoy this delicious treat.
Consuming higher levels of chocolate is associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared to consuming little to no chocolate.
Prior research suggested that chocolate may protect against high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. This study, analyzing the results of over 100,000 people for 8-16 years, confirmed the beneficial effects of eating chocolate.
But wait...put down the candy bar.
There's clearly some benefit, but more research is needed to determine exactly why. Cocoa is loaded with antioxidants and plant chemicals that seem to be quite beneficial. Researchers believe that chocolate's ability to increase the body's production of nitric oxide may prove key to its heart healthy benefits. Nitric oxide can help relax blood vessels, improving blood pressure and blood flow through the arteries. That means less stress on your heart. Hearts under less stress are happier. The American Heart Association President wants to package it in a pill, but don't expect to pick up your prescription of chocolate at the local pharmacy any time soon.
Not all chocolate is created equal.
Research indicates the darker the chocolate, the healthier it is. We agree. Milk chocolate is loaded with industrial oils, processed sugars, and other junk. White chocolate is not chocolate (it's basically a bar of sugar, milk solids, and fat), so don't go there. Dark chocolate can be an excellent treat as part of a healthy diet. If you don't like the taste of dark chocolate, you will. You've just been eating too much sugar. Work your way toward darker and darker chocolates. Your taste buds will change to better enjoy this delicious treat.
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Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2011; 343 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d4488
http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4488
