Chocolate & Cocoa: 'Healthy' Benefits, or Negative Health Effects?

Chocolate & Cocoa:

'Healthy' Benefits, or Negative Health Effects?

Link to article: http://www.acu-cell.com/choc.html

Is Chocolate a food of the gods because of its divine taste and Health Benefits,

or is it because heavenly bodies don't have to worry about its Health Hazards?

Chocolate & Cocoa

Stories on the Health Benefits of consuming Cocoa Products have increasingly made the news, following the

discovery that they are a rich source of catechins, which are polyphenols of the flavanol group, and which are

believed to protect against heart disease, cancer, and various other medical conditions.

Chocolate manufacturers, retailers, and the media have been taking advantage of these findings by not only

trying to make chocolate lovers feel less guilty about their addiction, but also by trying to target more health-

conscious consumers with regular doses of "research studies" praising the supposed health benefits of

consuming (dark) chocolate, among them that:

•  eating chocolate does not trigger migraine headaches,

•  eating chocolate reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer.

•  eating chocolate does not give someone acne or other skin eruptions,

•  eating chocolate boosts one's appetite, but does not cause weight gain,

•  eating moderate amounts of chocolate makes one live almost a year longer,

•  eating chocolate releases endorphins in the brain, which act as pain-relievers,

•  the sugar in chocolate may have a calming and pain relieving effect.

How reliable are all these "Studies?"

When taking a closer look, one discovers that once the studies funded by chocolate interest groups were

discarded, the ones left offered conflicting results.  As expected, some isolated compounds in cocoa did

however show certain health benefits.  Because it is a common practice in nutritional research to do studies

on food fractions, outcomes may sometimes appear negative because they are done without any co-factors

or "Whole-Food" nutrients.  However in the case of cocoa, some of the research was positive because all the

detrimental ingredients in chocolate - and their negative health effects -  were not part of the study.

If people were to consume pure cocoa, they might indeed be able to enjoy a few health benefits, including

a positive effect on blood pressure_[63] and glucose metabolism, however the majority of people eat processed

chocolate with all the other less desirable ingredients (i.e. added sugar, corn syrup, milk fats / dairy cream,

hydrogenated oils, etc.), and where the actual cocoa content may be less than 20%, so unless premium dark

chocolate is consumed, and one does not suffer from copper overload (see further below), all bets regarding

chocolate being healthy are off.

With claims made of sugar having a "pain-relieving" effect (babies fed a sucrose solution felt less pain from

needles), it is doubtful that we will see chocolate bars replacing conventional analgesics any time soon, nor

are these same "researchers" making these sugar-promoting claims likely going to reach for a chocolate bar

next time they suffer from a throbbing toothache, a pounding headache, or a kidney stone attack.

While cocoa and sugar do not "cause" acne, the sugar present in chocolate will most certainly make acne,

or any other acne-like skin eruptions worse, as anyone suffering from these skin conditions can attest to.

Placebo-controlled trials showed that some of the chemicals in chocolate (phenylethylamine, theobromine,

or caffeine), can indeed trigger migraines by altering cerebral blood flow and releasing norepinephrine in

some of those prone to suffer from migraine headaches.  Of all of the foods isolated that triggered the most

attacks, chocolate was an offender about 30% of the time.  Claiming that "eating moderate amounts of

chocolate increases one's life span" is a most interesting example of how some "researchers" will twist and

manipulate statistics to prove anything!

"Chocolate-Is-Good-For-You" campaigns through the media or the prominent placement of

leaflets at confectionery counters keep feeding the consumer "made-to-order" research results

whose outcome is pre-determined to satisfy an agenda (i.e. selling chocolate), with little relevance

to science or facts.  Considering that tobacco has also shown some health benefits, particularly

with ulcerative colitis and Parkinson's disease, would this be a reason to entice people to start smoking?

From a nutritional perspective - the average milk chocolate product is no less a junk food than ice cream

or donuts, and it is equally unhealthy and fattening when large amounts are consumed on a regular basis.

While no one is trying to discourage people from enjoying an occasional chocolate treat - selling chocolate

on the premises of providing health benefits, and urging consumers to increase their chocolate consumption

for "Health Reasons" leaves nutritional research less than credible, particularly when diabetes and obesity

have become an out-of-control global problem.

The good news is, premium grade dark chocolate contains only cocoa butter, a fat that naturally occurs in

cocoa beans, which is made up of stearic acid (34%), oleic acid (34%), palmitic acid (25%), and the rest of

other fatty acids, whereby the combined effect of all the fats found in cocoa butter is quite neutral in regard

to an individual's lipid (heart disease risk) profile.  However, when milk chocolate, or lower grade chocolate is

consumed, part of the total fat content of chocolate comes from milk fat or various other types of fat, which

offer no extra health benefits, but instead create a risk factor with cardiovascular disease.

Despite the good news on cocoa not raising LDL cholesterol, even dark chocolate is a very calorie-dense

food, so while the fat content may not invite cardiovascular disease from an atherogenic (arterial clogging)

perspective, its regular consumption will add a lot of extra calories to someone's daily total, and as a result

still affect those who have to watch their caloric intake.  Nevertheless, being listed as the No.1 ingredient in

many chocolate products, sugar is unquestionably a worse culprit compared to the fat content when

addressing the effect of chocolate on someone's overall health.

Sugar is a well-known cause, contributing, or aggravating factor with a host of medical conditions, including

heart disease, inflammatory conditions, immune system disorders, impaired phagocytosis, mood disorders,

insulin and blood sugar disorders, leukemia, tooth decay, yeast infections, depletion of essential nutrients,

osteoporosis, obesity, and others. (see also Acu-Cell "Sugar & Glycemic Index").

Cocoa products also contain pharmacological substances such as n-acylethanolamines that are related

to cannabis (marijuana), they contain stimulants such as phenylethylamine, which have an anti-depressant

and amphetamine-like effect; and they contain compounds that stimulate the brain to release an opiate-like

substance called anandamide.  When drugs are used to block the brain's opiate receptors, the desire for

chocolate (and other sweet and fatty foods) disappears -- confirming the addictive nature of these types

of foods.

But despite cocoa being such an opiate and endorphin-releasing pharmacological powerhouse, who would

have guessed that when chocoholics were given cocoa in capsules - without the added fat and sugar, and

without the feel of chocolate melting in their mouths - it had no satisfying effect at all!

However, while eating the actual chocolate bar satisfied the cravings for it, studies showed that there was

no improvement with mood, relaxation, feeling content, depression, or guilt, after eating chocolate.

The health benefits of polyphenols are easily demonstrated in a test-tube environment, however cocoa also

happens to be very high in Copper, which unfortunately inhibits the action of certain flavonoids, particularly

Hesperidin, which is an essential flavanone (see also "Bioflavonoids").  This can lead to a greater incidence

of vascular degeneration such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, aneurysms, bruising, heart disease, and stroke

in those with elevated copper levels.

While low copper levels can be implicated with weak and fragile blood vessels also, high copper levels

are much more common in many parts of the world, with nearly 90% of patients tested exhibiting a chemical

profile that - in addition to their own unique chemistry - contained an underlying pattern that reflects the

impact of copper overload on various nutrients, which include chromium, molybdenum, nickel, hesperidin,

Vitamin C, sulfur, and others.

The additional consumption of high copper sources such as chocolate and cocoa products, cola drinks,

coffee, (as well as shellfish, liver, soy products, and some nuts and seeds), not only aggravates many high

copper-related medical conditions, but it is responsible for creating new ones.  At the same time, copper is

an important co-factor for angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation with cancers), so with the exception

of colon cancer, for which copper and calcium are somewhat protective for, most other types of malignant

or benign tumors, hemangiomas, fibroids, etc., are associated with high copper levels.

Dark, bitter chocolate has the highest catechin content, but at the same time has also the highest copper

level.  Light or milk chocolate has the lowest copper level, but also the lowest catechin content.

* Risk factor for cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, joint degeneration, and other conditions.

The health benefits gained by following a high flavonoid intake, and the resulting decrease of some medical

problems is eventually offset by steadily increasing copper levels, which will inhibit flavonoid activity, and

which will over time promote an increase in these very same medical conditions!

The high sugar content in chocolate increases Chromium requirements (chromium is an associated trace

mineral to copper).  The resulting high copper / low chromium ratio creates an increased risk for trabecular

bone loss, and it can trigger or worsen blood sugar-related, and/or inflammatory conditions that may raise

the risk or incidence of chronic tonsil infections, recurring bladder infections, some forms of arthritis, or

similar problems of the immune system in prone individuals.

By lowering Sulfur, high copper levels are a common cause or aggravating factor of osteoarthritis, for which

some people take glucosamine sulfate or MSM supplements.  If successful, they partly work by counteracting

high copper levels and thus help to reverse or slow cartilage or joint degeneration.  Other than the effect of

chocolate on an individual's mood, elevated copper levels - by inhibiting sulfur - can adversely affect memory

and concentration, so progressive copper storage as a result of long-term high copper intake, combined with

increasingly diminishing sulfur levels can eventually contribute to, or lead to mental impairment or dementia.

(see also Acu-Cell "Copper & Chromium" and "Selenium & Sulfur").

Chocolate contains theobromine and a small amount of caffeine, both being stimulants and members of the

methylxanthine family.  Although it increases alertness, theobromine doesn't have the same jittery effect on

the heart like caffeine.  However, theobromine can be toxic or even lethal to domestic animals such as

dogs, cats, parrots and horses as a result of affecting their kidneys, heart, and central nervous system.

Another health risk and concern - particularly for young children - are the high Lead concentrations in cocoa

and chocolate products, which according to the Environmental Health Perspectives (2005)_[90], are supposed

to be one of the highest reported for all food items, although there have been challenges to these claims._[91]

From a clinical perspective, and putting aside the commercial hype that has been created of late to boost the

image of chocolate - people with the highest intake of chocolate either end up with excessive copper levels,

or elevated VLDL triglycerides (from all that sugar).  On average, most chocoholic patients test high in both.

As is the case with other sweets - anything beyond a casual consumption of chocolate will result in reduced,

not improved health, without even going into some more immediate health concerns that some individuals

experience from consuming chocolate, such as allergic reactions, chronic mucus / sinus problems, heartburn,

esophageal reflux (GERD), kidney stones, fibrocystic breast disease, migraine headaches, or aggravated PMS.

Nevertheless - in moderation - chocolate can certainly be the Sinful Delight it was meant to be! ¤

Chocolate's Potential Health Benefits - and its Effect on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

By Patti Schmidt • ProHealth.com • March 29, 2002

Link to article: http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=8326

Researchers have some news for chocolate lovers: it may be good for you. Scientists reported preliminary evidence recently that cocoa and other chocolates may keep high blood pressure down, your blood flowing and your heart healthy.

The research, the latest which correlates eating flavonoid-rich foods with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease(1), was presented in February at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston.

One study found that a substance in cocoa helps the body process nitric oxide (NO), a compound critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Another study showed that flavonols in cocoa prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, and make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause clots. Flavonoids are plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties; so far, scientists have found more than 4,000 kinds. Cocoa beans contain large quantities of flavonoids, and so do red wine, tea, cranberries, peanuts, strawberries, apples and many other fruits and vegetables.(2) The flavonoids in chocolate are called flavonols.

Generally, science has found that dark chocolate is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate.(3) The way that cocoa powder and chocolate syrups are manufactured removes most flavonoids.


Nitric Oxide

In the first study, researchers gave Boston volunteers cocoa with either a high or low amount of flavonols. Those who drank cocoa with more flavonols showed more nitric oxide activity.(4)

"Nitric oxide plays such an important role in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular health," said lead researcher Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, physician and professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The residents of an island called Kuna in Panama prompted Hollenberg's study. These indigenous people rarely develop high blood pressure, although they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day and include it in many recipes. But if they leave the island, the risk of high blood pressure increases, and studies found it wasn't related to salt intake or obesity.

Next, Hollenberg's team will determine if regulating nitric oxide with flavonols has a positive impact.


"If our research results continue to support a link between consumption of flavonol-rich cocoa and nitric oxide synthesis, there could be significant implications for public health," said Hollenberg.

Promotes Blood Flow

The other study compared how blood platelets responded to a flavonol-rich cocoa drink with 25 grams of semi-sweet chocolate pieces and a blood-thinning, 81-milligram aspirin dose. The research found similar reactions to the two from a group of 20- to 40-year-olds: both the drink and the aspirin prevented platelets from sticking together or clotting, which can impede blood flow.(5)

In other words, flavonol-rich cocoa and chocolate act similarly to low-dose aspirin in promoting healthy blood flow. Reducing the blood's ability to clot also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

Lead study author Dr. Carl Keen cautioned that his team isn't suggesting that people eat a couple of candy bars instead of taking their daily dose of aspirin.

"We're not advocating that people consume flavonol-rich foods in place of aspirin," stressed Keen, who is also the University of California-Davis nutrition department chairman. For people who cannot take aspirin, however, he said eating flavonol-rich foods "may be a useful approach."

He noted one important difference between aspirin and flavonol-rich foods: "The effects you see in aspirin are longer-lasting than the effects you see in flavonols," he said.

Although the trial involved just 40 people, Keen called the results "remarkably robust" and said the platelet effect may be related to the nitric oxide benefits found by Hollenberg's study.

Keen's team currently has an article under review in which they show a direct comparison to low-dose aspirin using the same study group.

"The next thing on our agenda is to look at chronic effects," said Keen. "What happens when a person has a high flavonol intake for two weeks? Do you still see the same effects? Many times...the body adapts or adjusts and you don't necessarily see the same thing after two or three weeks."


CFS & Chocolate

Many CFS specialists consider chocolate one of a few substances their patients should stay away from completely. CFS specialist Chuck Lapp, M.D., is one of them.

"I've always recommended that PWCs avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, Nutrasweet and tobacco," said Lapp, director of the Hunter Hopkins Center in Charlotte, NC. (He tells patients to remember the things they shouldn't eat by remembering the mnemonic SCANT, the first letter of each of those words.)

"These items are not tolerated well," he said. "PWCs tend to have hypoglycemia, and eating refined sugar - like chocolate candy - triggers reactive hypoglycemia, or a 'let down' in energy a couple hours later. And the cocoa used in cake, for example, doesn't contain refined sugar, but has a caffeine-like effect."

Dick Bruno, M.D., agrees. He's Director of the Fatigue Management Programs and Post-Polio Institute at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, NJ.

"PWCs shouldn't use anything containing caffeine- including chocolate, coffee, tea or soda-to pump themselves up," said Dr. Bruno. "What's more, we discourage the 'sugar high' carbs provide and recommend a hypoglycemia diet: using protein as a long-lasting source of fuel to supply and turn on damaged, brain-activating system neurons."


Chocolate's Benefits?

A PWC who was a true chocoholic could do a little research and argue that there are several bioactive compounds in chocolate that promote alertness, lessen pain and promote well-being.

For example, the stimulants theobromine, caffeine, tyramine and phenylethylamine (PEA) provide a brain-fogged PWC with a much-needed lift. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, lessens anxiety by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin; endorphins, the body's natural opiates, reduce sensitivity to pain.(6)


Anandamide acts like a cannabinoid to promote relaxation.(7) And last but certainly not least, chocolate is a natural analgesic, and high-fat, chocolate foods trigger the brain's production of natural opiates. (6)

So let's sum up. Chocolate gives you an energy lift, less anxiety, a reduction in pain-who wouldn't recommend something that did all that? Well, a nutritionist or biochemist could argue that chocolate doesn't contain much of these ingredients.

For example, while caffeine does encourage alertness, there is less caffeine in chocolate than there is in a cup of coffee. (6) (There are about 30 milligrams of caffeine in your average chocolate bar, while a cup of coffee contains 100 -150 mgs.)

Another example: PEA causes blood pressure and blood sugar to rise, and you'll feel alert and content for awhile. But those good feelings are likely to be followed by a sugar-induced drop in energy that leaves you more tired than before you ate the candy.

Cannabinoids are substances that mimic marijuana. The chemical in marijuana that makes people "high" - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - binds to certain receptors in the brain. The anandamide in chocolate can bind to the same receptors, producing a "high."(8)


However, Christian Felder at the National Institute of Mental Health would point out that a 130-pound person would have to eat 25 pounds of chocolate all at once to get a marijuana-like effect. (8)

And what about chocolate's ability to trigger the brain's natural opiates? At a CFS conference held September 1999 in Brussels, Belgium, Professor Jonathan Brostoff of London discussed "Allergy in CFS." He said about 25 percent of the population suffers from intolerances or allergies and the percentage is the same for PWCs.


Brostoff said food and inhalant sensitivities could lead to health problems, including migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, arthralgia and chronic fatigue. He suggested an elimination diet to find out whether someone is intolerant. Furthermore, he blamed the "exorphins" (external morphine-like substances) in chocolate for "gut problems" and even "psychological sequelae."(9)

Don't laugh: A study published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that chocolate contains "several biologically active constituents (methylxanthines, biogenic amines, and cannabinoid-like fatty acids), all of which potentially cause abnormal behaviors and psychological sensations that parallel those of other addictive substances."(10)

So, about those chocolate cravings: At "The Challenge of Chronic Illness" CFS conference in Sydney, Australia, in 1999, Abhijit Chaudhuri, a neurologist on the Glasgow, Scotland-based team researching CFS, said about 40 percent of his patients routinely craved chocolate. He suggested SSRIs or and low-dose tricyclics to help prevent those cravings.

Some people find that Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reduces chocolate cravings.(6) That may be because Bupropion's chemical structure is similar to PEA.(11)


Antioxidant Power

Here's an argument you could win with the nutritionist: Studies show that cocoa powder, dark chocolate and milk chocolate have higher Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) values than many common foods, such as prunes and blueberries. (12) (ORAC values measure how powerful an antioxidant a substance is. An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen and peroxides, and that include many held to protect the living body from the deleterious effects of free radicals. Examples include beta-carotene, vitamin C, and alpha-tocopherol.

Dark chocolate has more than 13,000 ORAC units and milk chocolate has about 6,700, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in McLean, Va. Unsweetened powdered cocoa starts out with almost twice as much antioxidants as dark chocolate, but when it's diluted with water or milk and sugar to make hot chocolate, the flavonoid total per serving plummets to about half that in milk chocolate. (13)

In different terms, a 40-gram serving of milk chocolate contains about 400 milligrams of antioxidants, the same as a glass of red wine, according to research published by Joe A. Vinson of the University of Scranton, Pa. (14) Vinson's team's results were also supported by ACRI.

Vinson and his colleagues found that the flavonoids in chocolate are more powerful than vitamins such as ascorbic acid in protecting circulating lipids from oxidation.(14) Atherosclerosis studies suggest that oxidation of lipoproteins is part of the process that creates the plaque that clogs artery walls. (1)

"Chocolate just stands out," Vinson said. "It's much higher than anything else."

If that doesn't convince your doctor, try this: researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times each month live almost a year longer than those who eat too much or those who steer clear of junk altogether. (15)


Industry-funded Research

Both studies presented at the February AAAS meeting used an experimental cocoa supplied by Mars Incorporated, and the candy company commissioned the research as well. Mars Incorporated makes M&Ms and Mars, Snickers and Dove bars, among other candies.

For the last few years, Mars Incorporated and the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI) in McLean, Va., have jointly funded research to try to find health benefits in the delectable dessert. Mars Incorporated external affairs director Marlene Machut said the studies began as "flavor research" but shifted to health benefits as evidence grew.

One problem with that was alluded to in an AAAS symposium on chocolate held in 2000: Why should consumers trust data on chocolate when it comes from industry-funded research?

"That's a valid question," acknowledged John W. Erdman, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and cochair of that symposium. But he also said in a recent interview that if the candy industry hadn't funded the research, "it would have been very difficult to get off the ground otherwise."

Erdman said the situation is similar to Quaker Oats' preliminary funding of research that showed oats' lowered serum cholesterol, or to Midwestern soy farmers funding most of the initial studies which showed that proteins and antioxidants in soy fight heart disease. Later clinical research done by independent labs around the world confirmed those smaller studies' conclusions and expanded upon them, he said.

"It's often necessary for a lot of promising, peer-reviewed, industry-financed studies to be done before government steps in with financial support for larger-scale research," Erdman said. "Nowadays the FDA wants preliminary information before they fund a major project."

Rather than questioning the data, Professor Keen believes people should applaud the industry for investigating the nutritional value of their products.

"Responsible food companies have a responsibility to fund research into the potential value of nutrients in those foods," he said. "If [these] companies help fund research at independent campuses and universities, and generate exciting data, that tells the NIH, 'This is a worthwhile area in which to invest precious taxpayer dollars.'"


Conclusive Evidence?

So does chocolate contribute to disease prevention? Should we eat chocolate for its health benefits as well as for its terrific taste?

When asked to choose how far along the preliminary-conclusive continuum this research is, Erdman said, "It's moving along. People are starting to say, 'There's something here.' Scientists are finding similar results with compounds in fruits and vegetables, tea, red wine and tomatoes."

Keen agreed, pointing out that the tea, grape and chocolate industries are just a few of the groups exploring antioxidants' potential benefits.

"I think one should view it from a collective perspective," he suggested. "There are a number of industries with very different types of food products who are saying, 'It looks like these compounds may have some potential health benefits,'" he said.

Of course, people should always be "skeptical" until results are repeated and published in peer-reviewed journals, Keen said.

The USDA Food Composition Laboratory is already sold: They're developing a database reporting the levels of flavonoids in plant foods, and cocoa will be included along with fruits, berries and other foods that provide health benefits, said Machut. In addition, the lab adopted Mars Incorporated's methods for looking at the flavonol levels in food products.


Methods Matter

"The cacao bean and its bran have the highest polyphenol levels," nutritionist Angela Miraglio noted in a May 2001 article in Nutrition Notes. "Processing the beans destroys some polyphenols; temperature, chemical changes and duration of exposure contribute to the loss. So the level of polyphenols in the final product vary. Cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers are beginning to take precautions to minimize the losses."(13)

Mars recently developed a proprietary method for processing cocoa beans called Cocoapro?, which preserves polyphenols by changing the way the beans are selected, fermented, dried, as well as how they're processed and formulated, said external affairs director Machut. Some Mars candy bars feature the CocoaPro label.

"That's how consumers can identify chocolates that retain much of a cocoa bean's initial flavonoid riches," said Machut.


Future?

Both Keen's and Hollenberg's teams plan future research into the benefits of cocoa. As you might expect, Mars Incorporated plans more, too.

But the surest sign of the candy company's faith in its main product is the fact that they're "working with several pharmaceutical companies to isolate and develop cocoa components as cardiovascular pharmaceuticals." In other words, they're trying to develop a drug based on chocolate's cardiovascular health benefits.

ENDNOTES/REFERENCES

1 Knekt P, Jarvinen R, Reunanen A, Maatela J. Flavonoid intake and coronary mortality in Finland: a cohort study. Brit Med J 1996;312:478-81.
Hertog M, Kromhout D, Aravanis C, et al. Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Lancet 1993;342:1007-11.
Hollman PC, Hertog MGL, Katan MB. Role of dietary flavonoids in protection against cancer and coronary heart disease. Biochem Soc Transact 1996;24:785-9.

2 Hollman PC, Katan MB. Dietary flavonoids: intake, health effects and bioavailability. Food Chem Toxic 1999;37:937-42.

3 Adamson GE et al. HPLC method for the quantification of procyanidins in cocoa and chocolate samples and correlation to total antioxidant capacity J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:4184-8.

4 K Chevaux, L Jackson, ME Villar, J Mundt, J Commisso, G Adamson, MM McCullough, H Schmitz, N Hollenberg Proximate, Mineral and Procyanidin Content of Certain Foods and Beverages Consumed by the Kuna Amerinds of Panama J Food Cmpstn & Anal 2001;14:553-563

5 Rein D, Paglieroni TG, Wun T, Pearson DA, Schmitz HH, Gosselin R, and Keen CL. Cocoa inhibits platelet activation and function Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:30-5.

6 http://www.chocolate.org/ Chocolate [sorely tempted?] A rampant chocaholic

7 Zurer, P. 1996. Chocolate may mimic marijuana in brain. Chemical and Engineering News 74(Sept. 2):31

8 http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/choco.html Neuroscience Resources for Kids, Discovering the Sweet Mysteries of Chocolate Ellen Kuwana

9 Brostoff J., Second World Congress on CFS and Related Disorders held in Brussels, Belgium, Allergy in CFS September 1999.

10 Bruinsma K, Taren DL Chocolate: food or drug? J Am Diet Assoc 1999 Oct; 99(10):1249-56

11 http://extratv.warnerbros.com/reframe.html.
http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/rxtra/03_01/03_12a_4.html
Turning Off the Fat Genes: Chapter Four, The Truth of Chocolate Addiction, March 12, 2001

12 Waterhouse A, Shirley R, Donovan J. Antioxidants in chocolate. Lancet 1996;348:834.

13 Miraglio A, Chocolate’s Potential for Health Benefits Nutrition Notes May 2001

14 Vinson JA, Proch J, Zubik L. Phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods: cocoa, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate J Agric Food Chem. 1999 Dec;47(12):4821-4.

15 Lee IM, Paffenbarger R Life is sweet: candy consumption and longevity BMJ 1998; 317: 1683-1684.

Side Bar

Before I begin to list some of the websites devoted to chocolate, I must mention San Francisco’s Exploratorium, which offers a great video webcast about chocolate. Or you can simply go through the site’s nicely designed web pages chock full of information about chocolate. It’s available at:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chocolate/

The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art and human perception in San Francisco. This online site offers a video webcast titled, “The Sweet Science of Chocolate,” in which host Sedge Thomson talks with chocolatiers, chefs and scientists about the history and science of chocolate. The webcast includes a visit to the Amazon rain forest to see cacao, the source of chocolate growing on the tree; information about the early history of chocolate, its importance to early American cultures and how it spread to Europe; a video tour of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Makers factory; and scientists explaining the chemical properties of chocolate.

http://chocolocate.com/

The Chocolate Lovers' Page is “a guide to chocolate on the web.” Its database lists more than 910 worldwide chocolate web sites, including retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, industry and trade associations, as well as fan sites. It also lists sites with information, places to buy chocolate gift baskets or find chocolate for fundraising, recipe sites, and places with books about chocolate.

http://www.virtualchocolate.com/

Virtual Chocolate sells t-shirts, mouse pads and books, and allows you to send chocolate using an online searchable directory. (If your honey is on a diet, you can also send a "Virtual Chocolate" postcard treat to anyone with an email address.) You can also find chocolate wallpaper for your computer screen.

The rec.food.chocolate newsgroup on the world wide web periodically posts a Chocolate Resources document. See http://www.faqs.org/faqs/food/chocolate/resources/part1/.

http://www.chocolate.com/

allows you to find chocolate sources as well as meet other chocoholics, find information, books, recipe and gift links.

http://www.candydirect.com calls itself the “world's largest candystore online.”



http://www.candywarehouse.com

The CandyWarehouse.com Factory Outlet Store offers a “huge selection of yummy candies.”

http://www.best-online-shopping-mall.com offers “the best chocolate retailers.”

A Glass of Red Wine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Link to article.

Is red wine the fountain of youth or a potent poison? Is enjoying a glass of red wine with dinner each evening beneficial to your health? Current research suggests that a glass of red wine each day may be providing you with more than just a little relaxation.

What are the health benefits of drinking red wine?

For over 10 years, research has indicated that moderate intake of alcohol improves cardiovascular health. In fact, in 1992 Harvard researchers included moderate alcohol consumption as one of the "eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk." However, research has suggested that specifically red wine is the most beneficial to your heart health. The cardioprotective effect has been attributed to antioxidants present in the skin and seeds of red grapes.

Scientists believe the antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in three ways:

•   by reducing production of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (also know as the "bad" cholesterol)
•   by boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
•   by reducing blood clotting. Furthermore, consuming a glass of wine along with a meal may favorably influence your lipid profiles following that meal

Recently, researchers have found that moderate red wine consumption may be beneficial to more than just your heart. One study found that the antioxidant resveratrol, which is prevalent in the skin of red grapes, may inhibit tumor development in some cancers. Another study indicated that resveratrol aided in the formation of nerve cells, which experts believe may be helpful in the treatment of neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Which wines should you consume to reap the most benefits?

Researchers at the University of California, at Davis tested a variety of wines to determine which types have the highest concentrations of flavonoids. Their results concluded that the flavonoid favorite is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. Both Merlots and red zinfandels have fewer flavonoids than their more potent predecessors. White wine had significantly smaller amounts than the red wine varieties. The bottom line is the sweeter the wine, the fewer the flavonoids. Dryer red wines are your best bet for a flavonoid boost.

How much red wine should I drink?

A four-ounce glass of wine is equivalent to one serving. Men will benefit from consuming one to two servings per day. Women should consume only one serving per day to reap the maximum benefits. This is not to say that you should start drinking alcohol if you presently do not. Occasional or binge drinkers have higher mortality rates than those who drink moderately on a regular basis. In those who consume three or more drinks per day, there is an increased risk for elevated serum triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream). Long-term, excessive alcohol consumption can damage nerve cells, the liver and the pancreas. Heavy drinkers are also at risk for malnutrition, as alcohol may substitute for more nutritious foods.

What if I have other health problems?

Recommendations to consume moderate amounts of wine are limited to individuals with a clean bill of health. It is clear that people with medical and social conditions worsened by alcohol should not consume any alcohol at all. Hypertryglyceridemia, pancreatitis, liver disease, uncontrolled hypertension, depression and congestive heart failure are diseases that may be worsened by alcohol. Those individuals at risk for these conditions should consult with their physician before consuming any alcohol at all.

What about grape juice and non alcoholic red wine?

In 1997, researchers at the University of Wisconsin concluded that purple grape juice also reduced blood clotting. Another study by researchers at University of California at Davis, confirmed the findings that non alcoholic red wine contains the same antioxidant profile as red wine. However in a 1998 study, Japanese researchers found that while grape juice still had antioxidative benefits, it did not significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to red wine.

The debate continues on whether it is the components of the wine, the way the wine is consumed, or the lifestyle traits that is the most responsible for the long healthy lives of many wine drinkers. However, the evidence seems clear that regular, moderate consumption of red wine is beneficial to your health. So here's a toast to your health!

Cheers