Which Chocolate Is Healthiest for Heart?
Not All Chocolate Is Created Equal; Dark Is Best
By Jeanie Davis Reviewed
By Michael Smith, MD
on Friday, January 31, 2003
WebMD Medical News
Jan. 31, 2003 -- Our favorite food group -- chocolate -- has
received a blessing from the nation's nutritionists. A review of
recent studies finds, indeed, that dark chocolate is good for your
heart. Researchers say the flavonoids in cocoa and chocolate can
lower your risk of heart disease. The main ingredient of both
chocolate and cocoa, cocoa butter, has plenty of saturated fat,
but the remaining fat may make up for some -- or possibly all --
the negatives, say the researchers.
Unsaturated fatty acids found in cocoa butter are full of
flavonoids, nutrients that have been reported to decrease LDL
"bad" cholesterol, thereby reducing risk of heart disease, writes
researcher Francene M. Steinberg, PhD, RD, in the February issue
of the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association.
Dark chocolates offer the best health benefits, with high
concentrations of heart-healthy flavonoids. "Cocoa contains the
same nutrients found in other plant foods, including minerals and
specific antioxidants that help ward off diseases such as heart
disease," says registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Althea
Zanecosky, in a news release. "In addition, oleic acid, a
monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil, makes up one-third of
the fat in chocolate and has been shown to be beneficial for heart
health," says Zanecosky.
Chocolate's heart-improvement record dates back to 17th century
Europe, when it was praised for its healing powers. "They believed
that chocolate 'comforted the liver, aided in digestion and made
one happy and strong,'" she says. Chocolate was also used for
stimulating the kidneys and treating anemia, tuberculosis, fever
and gout, Zanecosky adds. "It was also viewed as a way to
strengthen the heart and relieve heart pain."
Best to keep your chocolate intake moderate, she points out.
Healthy eating means incorporating a wide range of phytochemical-rich
foods including fruits and vegetables, teas, and red wine.
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SOURCES: Journal of
the American Dietetic Association, February 2003 * News
release, American Dietetic Association.
