Can Chocolate Make You More Healthy?

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How's that for an opening statement? Are you like me? Would you eat even more chocolate if you could justify it by saying it was good for you? Well, hold onto your hat because it turns out that according to some recently released information some kinds of chocolate my very well be good for you! The renowned health expert, Andrew Weil even endorses the consumption of dark chocolate.

The link to the health benefits of chocolate was claimed in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study was sponsored by the American Cocoa Research Institute and only consisted of twenty three participants. The summary or abstract from the study said that chocolate when combined with a healthy diet, increased HDL cholesterol levels, which is the good kind of cholesterol and also had an antioxidant benefit.

This study wasn't as earth shaking as the media hyped it to be. When you look deeper into the study you find that the results were exaggerated and that the beneficial effects from chocolate were minimal. Even the touted benefits of increasing HDL were not as great as originally claimed with the researchers admitting, "the cocoa-chocolate diet had neutral effects on lipids and lipoproteins."

It is well known that soy, grapes, tea, onions, apples, citrus and many others are rich sources of antioxidants, so it's not surprising that cocoa contains an antioxidant, too. How important is the antioxidant in chocolate? In "How good is chocolate?" nutrition expert Paul Nestel questioned the importance of chocolate's modest effects on LDL oxidation. He further asked, "Given that there are thousands of flavonoids in the foods that we eat ... should each new finding be greeted as an encouragement to eat that particular source because it contains a special flavonoid?"

As much as we love chocolate we have to put the benefits of eating it in perspective. You can get similar antioxidants from almost any other plant-based foods. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are much better sources of antioxidants, and also contain many other healthful nutrients. And unlike chocolate, they won't increase your waistline with extra calories from sugar and fat.

As much as we would like to believe it, the fact is that chocolate is a great tasting dessert food but it is a long way from being health food. Like anything else that we may consider a vice, it should be consumed in moderation.

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About the Author: teahupoo

Gregg Hall is a business consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Get more tips on french chocolate at http://www.chocolates-plus.com

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Reasons Why Chocolate is Good for You

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Chocolate - Good for You or Too Good?

Is chocolate an important thing to include in your diet? Most of us are very willing to make chocolate a regular feature in our diet. In fact, people have implied that chocolate may have health benefits as far bas as to the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, chocolate is considered such a staple in our diet that it's even included army food rations.

We may love chocolate, but is it really good for us? Many scientists and researchers have given their opinion, with mixed results. Of course, a certain degree of cynicism surrounds these studies since many of them are underwritten by the chocolate industry. But there are have been some interesting studies related to chocolate and its benefits.

Scientists at Japan's Osaka University conducted a study to see if chocolate is helpful in preventing tooth decay, and as a result, bad breath. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, and the husks of the beans seem to contain an antibacterial agent that helps prevent plaque. Although the husks are usually thrown out in typical chocolate production, confectioners may add them back to try to make chocolate more dental-friendly. Of course, even if the bean husks are put back to the chocolate they won't stand a chance in cavity-fighting action against the decay caused by chocolate's high sugar content.

Another study, conducted by Professor Carl Keen, a Californian scientist, was performed to find the health benefits of chocolate. One theory is that chocolate may actually help fight heart disease. Chocolate contains a flavinoids, a chemical which works to thin the blood, ultimately helping to prevent blood clotting. You may have heard of similar food studies for instance, the one involving red wine, which is said to have the same affect. Again, Professor Kern's study was funded by the candy maker, Mars, so it lacks a certain credibility.

Harvard University conducted another study that found that if you eat chocolate three times a month your life expectancy will increase by at least a year. Unfortunately, the same study looked at the effect of over-indulgence, which tends to lower life expectancy. Chocolates high-fat content means that over indulgence can result in obesity, which in turn resulting in an increased potential of heart disease.

Does the type of chocolate provide for better overall health? According to Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, at the University of Cologne, Germany, he and his colleagues found that dark chocolate lower blood pressure (as opposed to white or milk chocolate). Unfortunately the benefits of dark chocolate don't apply to everyone. According to the researchers, eating dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, if you are of a certain age and likely suffer from mild high blood pressure. In a perfect world, chocolate would be a healthy choice along the lines of nutrients found in spinach, but unfortunately that's not the case. Chocolate may have some possible health benefits, but a chronic overindulgence will lead to far more serious health risks. Chocolate is one the pleasures of life that should be appreciated, not over-indulged.

About the Author:

Patie Ackery is "chocoholic" and thought that because of her affliction, she just has to write and article about her favorite subject. You can see her site at http://www.anychocolate.com/

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