Chocolate: The Good, the Bad, the DeliciousTerry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH www.webhealthforyou.com If
you were waiting for some good news from science, here it is: studies
have shown there are more than just appetite-satisfying reasons to enjoy
chocolate, including its potential role in reducing blood pressure and
heart disease. Sound too good to be true? Well, there is a catch. The
foundation of chocolate, cocoa beans rich with minerals and
antioxidants, isn’t exactly what you get when you peel back the
metallic foil of your favourite candy bar. But don’t worry too much. For more than a millennium people
have believed chocolate to have nutritious properties and new research
is finding more and more reasons to enjoy a moderate amount of the sweet
stuff. While we can thank the Mayans for discovering cocoa and the many uses of chocolate, we should be thanking flavonoids for providing excellent health benefits to this tasty dish. Flavonoids are a group of compounds that include substances touted to be healthy such as "isoflavones" in soybeans, "catechins' in green tea, and "anthocyanins in red wine. Now seems one of the best source is in chocolate. Flavonoids aren’t considered a nutrient, rather a type of plant compound that has an antioxidant function, which is proven to have numerous health benefits. Flavonoid-rich
dark chocolate may be able to lower blood pressure, raise HDL (good)
cholesterol, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and may even be able to reduce
the risk of cardiovascular deaths, despite its naturally high occurring
saturated fats. Cocoa mass contains more flavonoids than any other
foods, meaning even small amounts can have a big effect on maintaining
proper cholesterol levels. Yes, chocolate is high in saturated fat so it
may seem strange that this food can be good for your heart, but here’s
more good news: one third of the fat in cocoa butter is stearic acid,
which raises both types of cholesterol so the negative health impact is
somewhat neutralized, and another third of the fat is the same type of
monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, which is proven to promote good
health (Sandra M. Hannum, Harold H.
Schmitz and Carl L. Keen, 2002.).
How
Flavonoids Help the Heart So
why are antioxidants important to heart health? Oxidized LDL is one of
the causes of developing cardiovascular disease. The inflammation it
causes can involve injury to the lining of the blood vessels, which
results in further inflammation. This process can be caused by exposure
to cigarette smoke, infections, complications from heart surgery, or
free radicals. All of this causes plaque to build up and constrict blood
flow. Flavonoids have been shown to relax the heart muscles by producing
nitric oxide, an important heart protector.
They may also inhibit inflammation somewhat by moderating the
cells that line the vessel walls. Further research has shown that
flavonoid-rich cocoa inhibits blood clotting in a way similar to that of
aspirin. (Sandra M. Hannum, Harold
H. Schmitz and Carl L. Keen, 2002.) This
doesn’t suggest that people should replace aspirin with chocolate if
they are in danger of clotting, however it could be a sweet way to
compliment the effects of the drug therapy. Other Healthy
Components Several
studies have looked at cocoa and its ingredients and have come to
numerous conclusions about its pharmaceutical possibilities. Will those
chalky pills and bitter syrups be replaced with prescription strength
chocolate bars? Maybe not anytime soon, however flavonoids are being
championed as a heavy weight disease-fighting ingredient in chocolate.
And those powerful cocoa beans also contain beneficial minerals that may
give the chocoholic more reasons to celebrate. Some of the other
heart-health boosters include potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc
and magnesium (Pamela Moyers Scott, 2007).
Blood
Pressure and Blood Sugar Helper A
2005 an Italian study found that dark chocolate can reduce blood
pressure and insulin resistance and that flavonoids can help with
hypertension Carol
Davis, 2006).
Another study out of Germany found cocoa can reverse some of the
negative effects of smoking Carol Davis, 2006).
As if women need more reasons for loving chocolate, some research has
shown that cocoa can reduce premenstrual symptoms, improve their skin
health and if eaten when pregnant, can help to make their newborn babies
happier and more active (Carol Davis, 2006.) Cough
Medicine? An
ingredient in cocoa called theobromine may be an effective treatment for
persistent coughs. In Britain, researchers gave volunteers gas to inhale
that induced coughing. Some took a theobromine tablet and others took a
placebo. They concluded that the theobromine was even more effective
than codeine for treating the cough (Carol Davis, 2006).
A study done at the University Hospital in Cologne, Germany found that
approximately 100 grams of flavonoid-rich chocolate was equivalent to
hypertension drug therapy. Black and green tea, which has long been
considered high in flavonoids, showed no effect at all. (Francene
M. Steinberg, Monica M. Bearden and Carl L. Keen,
2003.) Feel
Good Food Aside
from preventing disease, research also suggests that chocolate really
does make you feel good! Why do we really feel so good after enjoying a
piece of chocolate? It could be the dopamine and endorphins contained in
the cocoa mass that puts a smile on your face. (Pamela Moyers Scott, 2007).
You may not know much about valeric acid, but it is a stress-reducing
part of chocolate (Pamela
Moyers Scott, 2007).
Scientists at Northwestern University measured brain activity in
people eating chocolate and found the simple pleasant experience of
eating chocolate caused an increased blood flow in areas of the brain
that involve feelings of reward and stimulation. These are the same
brain areas that are affected by mood-altering drugs such as cocaine. (Sandra
M. Hannum, Harold H. Schmitz and Carl L. Keen,
2002). This
temporary “high” from eating chocolate may be why many consider
themselves “chocoholics.” Of course, unlike cocaine and alcohol,
chocolate is not really addictive. All
of this research may be great news for the confectionary (the makers of
Mars Bars have funded several studies to promote the benefits of
chocolate) but does this mean that we should be eating unlimited amounts
of any kind of chocolate? Well of course you know news is never that
good. First of all, it’s important to keep chocolate in small doses
because of the high fat content. Even though it contains healthy fats,
chocolate can still make you fat, which comes with its own set of health
complications such as diabetes. Secondly, common store-bought chocolate
has far too much added sugar and transfats to be in any way good for
you. Sugar
Fat and Milk Remember
that its the added sugar, fat, and milk that add unhealthy qualities to
chocolate. While dark chocolate may be one of the healthier types
of chocolate, its ingredients are often 30% sugar. Milk chocolate is
much worse with a whopping 40% sugar content! If you’re looking at
solid chocolate you can be sure it’s high in saturated fat too. This
is what keeps it from melting at room temperature. Chocolate also needs
a great deal of cocoa butter to give it the ability to melt when heated,
contributing to a large percentage of the fat content. Hydrogenated
is Worse Than Saturated Hydrogenation
is a fancy way of saying "artificial saturation". During
the hydrogenation process, which is used to artificially to improve the
product’s texture and shelf-life, trans-fats are created. Always check
the label for trans-fats, (always present in hydrogenated fat) as these
are among the worst for causing heart disease. Another disadvantage to
chocolate is the high caffeine content. Too much of it can contribute to
jitters, nervousness and insomnia. Don’t look to your chocolate bar
for a fiber
fix either. The unprocessed cocoa bean does contain both soluble and
insoluble fiber,
but cocoa power has less than 2% fiber
and regular chocolate has little to none. Viva
la Difference It’s
wise to remember the inherent differences in processed chocolate. Dark
chocolate, often called plain chocolate has a high concentration of
chocolate liquor without any added milk. Milk chocolate, as the name
implies, contains milk for a silkier texture and less chocolate liquor.
White chocolate is made of cocoa butter without any cocoa solids. This
is the least healthy form of chocolate as it doesn’t contain any
flavonoids. The cocoa bean, in its natural form, is a very rich and
nutritious food, but there is very little to say about the taste! As the
bean goes through the process of becoming the delicious, sweet chocolate
we all know and love, it loses many of its nutritious properties. Once
it becomes dark chocolate, it has been sweetened and gone through
fermentation that reduces its flavonoid content. Add more milk and sugar
to create milk chocolate and you have an even more fattening product
with lower flavonoids. White
Chocolate is Empty Chocolate White
chocolate, while deliriously creamy and smooth, has zero cocoa powder in
its ingredients and is completely void of the bean’s benefits. Because
it is energy dense, chocolate makes an excellent snack for athletes and
other active people who need to replenish their energy stores, but not
so great for the average person who spends the work day sitting at a
desk or in a car. You can purchase plain cocoa powder, which is
essentially chocolate without the fat, milk and sugar; however most
commercially available cocoas are produced using an alkali process which
destroys a high percentage of the flavonoids. To
understand how the cocoa bean can go from one of nature’s superpower
foods to empty calorie junk food, you have to look at how it is made
into the final product. The chocolate process starts with the
fermentation stage. The longer the fermentation time, the greater the
loss of flavonoids. Then comes the drying stage that also causes
flavonoid loss, though to a smaller extent. When the beans are ready to
be roasted, higher temperatures and longer roasting times lead to more
loss of flavonoids. Then, for some types of chocolate the alkalizing
process is used which also causes a great deal to be lost. Depending
on the methods used in production, cocoa powder can contain as much as
10% flavonoids on a dry-weight basis. Remember, to get the most benefit
from chocolate, look for dark chocolate with the least amount of sugar,
fat, milk, and other additives. If you’re tempted to indulge in
chocolate for the heart-helping flavonoids, remember many fruits such as
apples contain fairly high amounts too but without the damaging sugar,
fat and high calories. Healthy Ways to Enjoy Chocolate It
seems chocolate may not be the perfect food after all, but it’s got
some very good qualities to it. To have your chocolate cake and enjoy it
too, try to consume the cocoa bean in a more pure form and keep it in
small doses. Be aware that the bad effect of chocolate comes from its
concentrated calories and any added dairy and sugar.
Because of its richer taste, dark, semi sweetened chocolate is
great for savouring slowly and enjoying its intense flavours. Pairing
chunks of dark chocolate with something naturally sweet like cherries,
strawberries or bananas is a delicious dessert full of vitamins,
antioxidants and flavonoids. While
you should take your chocolate with some precaution, there’s no need
to leave it off your grocery list completely. No one really needs to
know how it can protect you heart, skin and mood before enjoying a
piece, and even if that chocolate bar is a little fattening, it’s
comforting to know there is at least some goodness to balance out the
bad. References
Schewe T., Kuhn H., and Sies H.
“Flavonoids of cocoa inhibit recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase.” The
Journal of Nutrition 132.7 (July 2002): 1825(5). Savill P. “Cardiovascular disease: Chocolate shown to
reduce blood pressure.” The Practitioner (June
29, 2007): p11. Batchelder T. "The cultural
pharmacology of chocolate." Townsend Letter for Doctors and
Patients 256 (Nov 2004): 103(4). Dillinger T.L., Barriga P., Escarcega S.,
Jimenez M., Salazar D., Grivetti L. E. “Food of the Gods: Cure for
Humanity? A Cultural History of the Medicinal and Ritual Use of
Chocolate.” The Journal of Nutrition 130.8 (August
2000): p2057S. Moyers Scott P. “Is chocolate really good
for me?(When the Patient Asks: Brief reviews for you and your
patients).” JAAPA-Journal of the American Academy of Physicians
Assistants 20.1 (January 2007) 55(1). Davis C. “Sweet solution? Carol Davis
discusses the nutritional benefits--or otherwise--that can be found in
chocolate.” Nursing 21.14-16 (December 13, 2006): 21(3). Steinberg F. M., Bearden M. M., Keen C.L.
“Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular
health.” J
Am Diet Assoc. 103.2 (Feb 2003):103(2): 215. Hannum S.M. “Chocolate: a heart-healthy
food? Show me the science! (Pleasures of the Table).”
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