Interesting Green: How chocolate can be good for your heart

My Paper, Monday, March 21, 2014, Page A17, Lifestyle
From http://epaper.mypaper.sg/emnd/fvxen/fvxp/fvxpress.php?param=2014-03-21
Source Website: http://mypaper.sg/lifestyle/how-chocolate-can-be-good-your-heart-20140321
By mypaper, BBC, Published on Mar 21, 2014

PHOTO: CHOC-FULL OF GOODNESS: Cocoa beans contain flavanols, an anti-inflammatory compound that is good for the heart. The US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute plans a big trial of a chocolate pill for heart disease.
PHOTO: AFP
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My Paper, Monday, March 21, 2014, Page A17, Lifestyle

BACTERIA in our stomach ferment chocolate into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart, say scientists.

The Louisiana State University team told the American Chemical Society meeting that their lab work had revealed this finding.

Gut microbes such as Bifidobacterium feast on the chocolate and release beneficial polyphenolic compounds.

PHOTO: Chocolate May Be Good for Your Heart
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have studied seven studies involving 100,000 people. Five of those studies demonstrated a link between eating chocolate and heart health. Two did not.
Picture from post by Debbie Ray August 29, 2011 6:57 AM
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The scientists believe adding fruit to chocolate could boost the fermentation.

Dr John Finley and his team tested cocoa powder, but say solid dark chocolate contains the same polyphenolic or antioxidant compounds.

Meanwhile, the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute plans a big trial of a chocolate pill for heart disease.

It is teaming up with chocolate manufacturer Mars, which has patented a way to extract a specific type of these beneficial compounds - flavanols - from cocoa in high concentration and put it in capsules.

PHOTO: Scientists are working to unlock the genetic code of the cocoa tree, the source of chocolate. They believe they can boost the levels of compounds known as flavonols in the beans. Flavonols have been found in recent research to improve blood pressure and have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Photo: ALAMY
Posted by Richard Gray, Science Correspondent, 9:00AM GMT 14 Nov 2010
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Dr JoAnn Mason, who will be leading the trial, said: "You're not going to get these protective flavanols in most of the candy on the market. Cocoa flavanols are often destroyed by the processing."

The idea of the study was to see whether there are health benefits from chocolate's ingredients, minus the sugar and fat, she said.

The 18,000 participants that they hope to recruit will get dummy pills or two capsules a day of cocoa flavanols for four years, and neither they nor the study leaders will know who is taking what during the study.

PHOTO: Chocolate is More Than Brain Food!
From the Desk of Ron White, memory speaker
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Mr Christopher Allen of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said: "Though flavanols are found in dark chocolate, this doesn't mean we can reach for a chocolate bar and think we're helping our hearts. Flavanols are often destroyed by processing and by the time a chocolate bar lands on the supermarket shelf it will also contain added extras, such as sugar and fat."

He said that though chocolate could be enjoyed as a treat, it was not good to eat it in large quantities.

PHOTO: Jessica Alba Eating Chocolate Cake
Chocolate could be enjoyed as a treat but it is not good to eat it in large quantities.
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"Eating lots of sugary and fatty foods can lead to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes," he said.

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables, combined with an active lifestyle, is the best way to keep your heart healthy, the BHF advises.

By mypaper, BBC, Published on Mar 21, 2014

PHOTO: Main health effects of chocolate
Picture is from wikimedia
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