Not only are chocolate-flavored products such as milk, ice cream and even yogurt yummy treats, they are also full of tricks...well, more accurately, surprises, as cocoa is associated with an increasing number of health and wellness benefits. But of course, not all chocolate is created equal, and dairy product formulators are learning that it pays to use highquality cocoa when developing premium, value-added products.
Loving chocolate
A recent study showed that moderate chocolate consumption is linked to lower risks of heart failure. Reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart Association, Dallas, researchers found that women in Sweden who ate an average of one to two servings of high-quality chocolate per week had a 32% lower risk of developing heart failure. Those who had one to three servings per month had a 26% lower risk. However, those who consumed one serving or more daily did not appear to benefit from a protective effect against heart failure. In other words, there is truth to the old adage, "too much of a good thing."
The lack of a protective effect is probably due to the additional calories gained from eating chocolate instead of more nutritious foods, according to Murray Mittleman, lead researcher of the study and director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "You can't ignore that chocolate is a relatively calorie-dense food and large amounts of habitual consumption is going to raise your risks for weight gain," says Mittleman. "But if you're going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it's in moderation."
High concentration of compounds called flavonoids in chocolate may lower blood pressure, among other benefits, according to mostly short-term studies. However, this is the first study to show long-term outcomes related specifically to heart failure, which can result from ongoing untreated high blood pressure.
Mittleman adds that differences in chocolate quality affect the study's implications for Americans. Higher cocoa content is associated with greater heart benefits. In Sweden, even milk chocolate has a higher cocoa concentration than dark chocolate sold in the United States.
Loving chocolate
A recent study showed that moderate chocolate consumption is linked to lower risks of heart failure. Reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart Association, Dallas, researchers found that women in Sweden who ate an average of one to two servings of high-quality chocolate per week had a 32% lower risk of developing heart failure. Those who had one to three servings per month had a 26% lower risk. However, those who consumed one serving or more daily did not appear to benefit from a protective effect against heart failure. In other words, there is truth to the old adage, "too much of a good thing."
The lack of a protective effect is probably due to the additional calories gained from eating chocolate instead of more nutritious foods, according to Murray Mittleman, lead researcher of the study and director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "You can't ignore that chocolate is a relatively calorie-dense food and large amounts of habitual consumption is going to raise your risks for weight gain," says Mittleman. "But if you're going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it's in moderation."
High concentration of compounds called flavonoids in chocolate may lower blood pressure, among other benefits, according to mostly short-term studies. However, this is the first study to show long-term outcomes related specifically to heart failure, which can result from ongoing untreated high blood pressure.
Mittleman adds that differences in chocolate quality affect the study's implications for Americans. Higher cocoa content is associated with greater heart benefits. In Sweden, even milk chocolate has a higher cocoa concentration than dark chocolate sold in the United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.