Cooler
weather ushers in chocolate season – no more unintended melting leading to
sticky fingers and lopsided bonbon. M&M’s may have their fan but true
chocolate lovers want better.
There
is some evidence that chocolate may help heart health since the cocoa bean is
rich in flavonoids, which protect plants from environmental toxins and help
repair damage. Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocoa and
chocolate. Research shows that flavanols have other potential influences on
vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the
brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.
These plant chemicals aren’t only
found in chocolate. In fact, a wide variety of foods and beverages are rich in
flavonols. These include cranberries, apples, peanuts, onions, tea and red
wine. The flavanols are antioxidants (good things).
Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage
caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as
breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke. If your
body does not have enough antioxidants to combat the amount of oxidation that
occurs, it can become damaged by free radicals. For example, an increase in
oxidation can cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad"
cholesterol, to form plaque on the artery walls.
When cocoa is processed into your
favorite chocolate products, it goes through several steps to reduce this
taste. The more chocolate is processed (through things like fermentation,
alkalizing, roasting, etc.), the more flavanols are lost. Most commercial
chocolates are highly processed. Although it was once believed that dark
chocolate contained the highest levels flavanols, recent research indicates
that, depending on how the dark chocolate was processed, this may not be true.
The good news is that most major chocolate manufacturers are looking for ways
to keep the flavanols in their processed chocolates. But for now, your best
choices are likely dark chocolate over milk chocolate (especially milk
chocolate that is loaded with other fats and sugars) and cocoa powder that has
not undergone Dutch processing (cocoa that is treated with an alkali to
neutralize its natural acidity).
Enjoy your treats but watch portion
size! A total of three ounces of dark
chocolate per week is a delicious way to add antioxidants to your diet.
