Oh joy! DARK CHOCOLATE IS, IS, GOOD for you!! (in moderation)

[Guest guest]

Considering that I, " Choco-head-Janie " , keep on open container of

dark chocolate chips in her freezer, which has her fingers scooped

into it daily....)

Should You Eat Chocolate?

Whether or not eating chocolate helps or hurts one's health has been

a highly controversial topic. However, researchers are moving the

debate to more of a consensus. The evidence appears overwhelming

that the consumption of dark chocolate can improve both glucose

metabolism (diabetic control) and blood pressure.

Results were gathered from a small study that involved 15 healthy

young adults who were supplemented daily with 100 grams of dark

chocolate or 90 grams of white chocolate, each of which provided 480

kilocalories. Respectively, the polyphenol content (having

antioxidant activity) present in the dark and white chocolate were

calculated to be 500 and 0 milligrams (mg). Participants were

divided into two groups; each group ingested:

**One type of chocolate for 15 days

**No chocolate for a subsequent seven days

**The other type of chocolate for an additional 15 days

It was discovered that dark chocolate supplementation was linked to

improved insulin resistance and sensitivity, as well as decreased

systolic blood pressure. The white chocolate, on the other hand, had

no effect.

Chocolate's Flavanol Content

Cocoa is rich in flavanols, a class of polyphenols found in plants;

however, the concentration of the flavanols in any chocolate depends

on:

1)The flavanol content of the cocoa plant it is derived from

2)The procedures used to transform the cocoa into chocolate

Chocolate such as the dark chocolate used in the study could contain

a relatively high concentration of flavanols. Researchers believe

the regulation of nitric oxide production by the flavanols found in

dark chocolate could explain its effects on insulin sensitivity and

blood pressure. It remains unclear, however, how flavanols interact

with the body to increase nitric oxide bioavailability. One

suggested mechanism is insulin-mediated cell signaling, because

insulin can modulate several signaling molecules involved in nitric

oxide-synthase regulation.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2005; 81(3): 541-542

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2005; 81(3): 611-614

P.S. WORD OF CAUTION, though.....

Just because chocolate is dark, it does not mean it is healthy. It

is important to know that in early 2005 most cocoa is processed in

ways that destroy the majority of the beneficial polyphenolic

bioflavanoids. But you can safely assume that all milk and white

chocolate does not have these beneficial nutrients.

Only eat chocolate if you're healthy. Chocolate, even if it is dark,

still contains large quantities of sugar, and eating sugar is a

profoundly negative influence on your immune system. So the key

point here is that if you are sick, the absolute last thing you want

to do is eat any sugars. You want to keep your diet as absolutely

clean as possible. That is NOT the time to cheat on your diet.

Consume it in moderation. A small bit of chocolate can be very

satisfying if you savor each bite, rather than just wolfing it down.

Also, if you are constantly craving sweets, you are likely not

eating the correct balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates for

your metabolic type. If you tend to crave chocolate when you are

upset, bored or lonely, then you could benefit from resolving these

underlying emotional issues (and we all have them) that are driving

you to seek comfort from chocolate.

Finding Flavonols Elsewhere

You can enjoy the benefits chocolate provides (via flavonols) by

consuming fruits like apples and grapes and most all vegetables,

including broccoli, greens and onions. Blueberries are the top-rated

food by the USDA as far as antioxidant capacity is concerned. They

have other chemicals like anthocyanins that are even more powerful

than the polyphenols in cocoa in protecting against free-radical

damage.

Unfortunately, blueberries and other berries have a relatively short

growing season and are only available fresh for a few months at most

throughout the year. You can purchase them frozen though in many of

your local grocery stores.

http://www.mercola.com/2005/mar/23/chocolate.htm