February 5, 2008 Hello! While Valentine's Day can represent different things to different people, one thing that we almost always see lots of this time of year is chocolate. While some studies have recently labeled chocolate as a health food, others warn of high levels of fat and calories. Chocolate companies (and anyone who wants to justify their chocolate habit), tend to like the studies that stress the former, but the truth is that the later is also true. To put it all in perspective, let's start at the beginning:
"Chocolate is made using beans harvested from the cocoa
tree, Theobroma cacao. The beans are removed from their
pod, fermented, dried, roasted and then ground to produce a
cocoa mass or cocoa liquor. This is then pressed to yield
cocoa butter and cocoa cake which is ground up into cocoa
powder." That chocolate, in it's purest form, is what's good for you. That's the "dark chocolate" that s used in studies to document the health benefits that can come from chocolate. Unfortunately, not all forms of chocolate have these benefits, as was documented in an experiment that compared the purer forms of dark chocolate with the more processed varieties.
"One group got a [1.6 oz.] Dove Dark Chocolate bar every
day for two weeks. Like other dark chocolate bars with
high-cocoa content, this one is loaded with something
called epicatechin. Epicatechin is a particularly active
member of a group of compounds called plant flavoniods.
Flavoniods keep cholesterol from gathering in blood
vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the
immune responses that lead to clogged arteries. The second
group that didn't get Dove bars wasn't totally left out.
They, too, got dark chocolate bars. But their treats had
the flavoniods taken out. All subjects underwent high-tech
evaluation of how well the blood vessels dilate and relax
-- an indictor of healthy blood vessel function. Blood
vessel stiffness indicates diseased vessels and possible
atherosclerosis. Those who got the full-flavonoid chocolate
did significantly better. Why? Blood tests showed that high
levels of epicatechin were coursing through their
arteries." Scientifically speaking, what kind of chocolate it is, and how much processing that chocolate has been through, really makes a difference. How does it work?
" 'It is likely that the elevated blood levels of
epicatechin triggered the release of active substances that
... increase blood flow in the artery. Better blood flow is
good for your heart.' ... Not all chocolate is created
equal. Dark chocolate contains a lot more cocoa than other
forms of chocolate. And standard chocolate manufacturing
destroys up to half of the flavoniods. But chocolate
companies have now learned to make dark chocolate that
keeps up to 95% of its flavoniods. ... 'Many people don't
realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits
and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart,' Engler
says." Yes, chocolate is plant derived and has some of the same health benefits as those fruits and vegetables we are told to eat so much. Chocolate, however, does have its drawbacks: unlike broccoli, chocolate is high in saturated fat.
"Chocolate contains cocoa butter, which is high in
saturated fat, yet one-third of chocolate's fat comes from
stearic acid. Although it's a saturated fat, stearic acid
does not raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) as do
most other saturated fats. Stearic acid is converted in the
liver to oleic acid, a heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat.
Another one-third of chocolate's total fat comes from oleic
acid itself. In a recent study, volunteers followed a diet
with the majority of their fat calories coming from either
chocolate or from butter. The volunteers who consumed
chocolate fat did not show an increase in their cholesterol
levels, but those who ate butterfat developed elevated LDL
cholesterol levels." So, chocolate is high in saturated fat, and too much saturated fat is bad, but the saturated fat in chocolate isn't as bad as most other saturated fats. Additionally, minimally processed chocolate is better, and we need to watch the fat and calories we are getting by eating it (because any added calories can cause weight gain if a person is not eating less in other areas). Beyond just choosing dark chocolate because it has less processing, it is also important to limit what is added to the chocolate. Even milk (as in "milk chocolate") can negate the positive affects found in dark chocolate.
"Dark chocolate--but not milk chocolate or dark chocolate
eaten with milk--is a potent antioxidant, report Mauro
Serafini, PhD, of Italy's National Institute for Food and
Nutrition Research in Rome, and colleagues. ... 'Our
findings indicate that milk may interfere with the
absorption of antioxidants from chocolate ... and may
therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be
derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate.' " Aside from looking for "dark" vs. "milk" chocolate (and checking the ingredients because some dark chocolates will still have milk added), what else other qualities make for a healthier chocolate.
"What qualities should you look for in dark chocolate?
So, chocolate (as close to it's pure form as possible) does provide health benefits when those extra chocolate calories you consume replace other calories you would normally consume. As much as this might sound like a justification for a side of dark chocolate instead of peas or carrots, it is important to remember that peas and carrots are not as calorie dense as chocolate, so it takes less chocolate to equal the same calorie count. Additionally, it doesn't take that much chocolate to make a difference. Once again, as with so many things, moderation is key.
"Researchers at Harvard University have carried out
experiments that suggest that if you eat chocolate three
times a month you will live almost a year longer than those
who forego such sweet temptation. But it's not all good
news - the Harvard research also suggested that people who
eat too much chocolate have a lower life expectancy.
Chocolate's high fat content means that excess indulgence
can contribute to obesity, leading to an increased risk of
heart disease. It looks like the old adage of 'everything
in moderation' holds. But if you can't resist chocolate, at
least stick to dark. It's higher in cocoa than milk
chocolate and helps to increase levels of HDL, a type of
cholesterol that helps prevent fat clogging up arteries."
Questions of the Week: Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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