Health Benefits of Chocolate
Do you like chocolate? There are probably very few people who don't like chocolate. There are many health benefits associated with chocolate, and many products are marketed and sold as if they have health benefits. In fact, you may have heard of some of the health benefits of dark chocolate.
Small studies have shown that
suggest that cocoa, a component of chocolate, may have health benefits. Certain nutrients in cocoa have been shown to be good for the heart, especially in older people, and may enhance brain function.
Researchers believe that compounds called flavanols may be responsible for these effects. Cacao beans contain high levels of flavanols. The beans are dried and roasted to make cocoa powder, which is used in chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa and flavanols than any other type of chocolate. Flavanols are also found in tea, red wine, apples, and berries.
The research evidence on cocoa beans and heart health has interesting origins, much of it based on studies of the Kuna people who lived on islands off the coast of Panama. They are said to consume more cocoa than people.
They pull the cocoa beans from the trees, grind them up, and basically make hot chocolate," said Dr. Gerald M. Hoffman of Wake Forest University.
And they drink a lot of it a day, just like water.
Scientists have
Scientists have found that people in Kuna have a much lower incidence of heart disease when compared to people in the same region. They found that this may be related to the health properties of the cocoa bean.
Researchers are studying whether intensive doses of cocoa flavanols can improve health, and thousands of participants are involved in a study on how cocoa supplements affect everything from eye disease, heart and cancer risk, to cognitive ability.
Because cocoa flavanols are thought to improve heart function and blood flow, scientists believe they may also benefit the tiny blood vessels in the brain. Dr. Baker was researching whether cocoa supplements could prevent cognitive decline in the elderly. The study looked at their effects on short-term memory, concentration, and overall brain function.
More than 2,000 older adults took part in the three-year study.
However, it is too early to determine if cocoa supplements are beneficial for brain health, and the study is still ongoing.
If it works, there are no side effects from cocoa flavanols," Baker said.
If it works for both heart health and cognition, or just one, imagine that this would be a very simple supplement that people could add to their diet.
However, you can't get nearly the same amount of cocoa flavanols in a chocolate bar, even dark chocolate.A cocoa supplement is much more potent than the most bitter dark chocolate bar," Baker says.
Dr. Baker said that simply eating chocolate does not replicate the effects of the study.
And chocolate in general does not contain
Because of the added sugar and cocoa butter, chocolate contains a lot of calories and saturated fat. Therefore, it is considered best to enjoy these chocolates in "small" quantities as part of a balanced diet.
Design and baseline characteristics of the cocoa supplement and multivitamin outcomes study for the Mind: COSMOS-Mind. Baker LD, Rapp SR, Shumaker SA, Manson JE, Sesso HD, Gaussoin SA, Harris D, Caudle B, Pleasants D, Espeland MA; COSMOS-Mind Research Group. Baker LD, et al. Contemp Clin Trials. 2019 Aug; 83:57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.06.019. Epub 2019 Jul 2. Contemp Clin Trials. 2019. pmid: 31271875.
Summary.
The health benefits associated with chocolate are still being confirmed. Eating too much chocolate for its health benefits can lead to over-calorie consumption, so in the future, the focus may be on flavanols alone rather than on chocolate.
In the future, people will probably focus more on flavanols rather than chocolate itself. If you are going to eat chocolate, it is recommended that you eat chocolate with a high cacao content.
