Are You Drinking More Wine Than You Think?

by Rachael Anderson

Read the full article here.

If you're partial to pouring yourself a glass of wine after work, be extra careful. You might actually be drinking more than you think, which could result in an unexpected hangover the next morning -- or even certain health problems.

Most people think of a glass of wine as just one serving, but depending on the size, shape and location of your wine glass, it could be closer to two -- or even three! A small study recently found that people tend to over-pour vino if their glass is wide, or if they are holding the glass in their hand instead of placing it on a table. The color of the wine matters, too. People filled a clear glass with a larger serving of white wine than red wine.

The reason is simple: People can’t gauge volume very well. They tend to notice vertical measurements more than horizontal ones. And color contrast catches the eye, too. Pouring a dark wine into a narrow glass resting on a table makes the glass appear more full, and that means you drink less.

Pouring Over Proper Serving Size

For men, moderate drinking is two drinks a day, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That means two 5-ounce glasses of wine, or if you prefer the hard stuff, two 1.5-ounce glasses of 80 proof liquor.

Why Too Much Isn’t a Good Thing

The next time you uncork that bottle of Pinot, know this: While moderate drinking has been shown to provide numerous health benefits, overindulging has its drawbacks.

• It can short-circuit your sex life. As the amount of alcohol in the blood increases, it depresses the brain’s ability to sense sexual stimulation. It can also suppress testosterone production.
• It can hurt your heart. Overdoing it will eventually lead to hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and heart disease.
• It can make you fat. Don’t forget: Alcohol is full of calories -- about 100 per serving of wine -- which in excess can lead to obesity and an increased risk for diabetes. 

So, the next time you pour yourself some wine, choose your glass wisely. Otherwise you could end up with more alcohol than you wanted, and potentially a pretty painful headache the next morning.

Health Benefits of Chocolate - Article on About.com

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D.

Read Original article here.

Updated April 26, 2009

Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy?:

Chocolate Photodisc / Getty Images

Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it every day can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

• Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
• Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

• it tastes good
• it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
• it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
• it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:

Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories:

This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.
One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.

Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate:

Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.

Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.

Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat:

You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk:

It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Sources: Chocolate Manufacturers Association; Journal of the American Medical Association

What You Need to Know About Stilbenes

By Shereen Jegtvig

Read the original article here.

Updated August 27, 2013

Reviewed by a board-certified health professional. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

Plants contain compounds called phytochemicals that may be beneficial for your health. Stilbenes are a sub-group of phytochemicals called polyphenols. They're not as abundant in foods as flavonoids, lignans or phenolic acids, which are also groups of polyphenols. There are two stilbenes of any note: resveratrol and pterostilbene. They are found in small amounts in some of the foods you eat.

Resveratrol is found in grape skins, red wine, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries. It's been studied for it's potential health benefits. Observational studies show people who drink red wine tend to have lower risks of cardiovascular disease; however, it isn't known how much of that effect is due to resveratrol or if people who have lower risks of cardiovascular disease just happen to drink a little more wine than people who have higher risks. Laboratory studies show that resveratrol acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in some laboratory animals, but there is very little information on resveratrol use in humans, or how much would be needed to show any health benefits. Chances are, however, that the amount needed is be too high to achieve with dietary sources alone, so if there is any benefit it would have to be in supplemental form. Please remember that these types of dietary supplements aren't regulated for efficacy and it currently isn't known how much to take or if it will really do anything, so please speak to your health care provider before taking any types of dietary supplements.

Pterostilbene is found in blueberries and grapes. It's an antioxidant that has shown promise for the treatment and prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease, but (like resveratrol) it's only been tested in lab animals. Currently, there aren't any studies in humans.

Sources:

Borriello A, Cucciolla V, Della Ragione F, Galletti P. "Dietary polyphenols: focus on resveratrol, a promising agent in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and control of glucose homeostasis." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 Oct;20(8):618-25.

Gresele P, Cerletti C, Guglielmini G, Pignatelli P, de Gaetano G, Violi F. "Effects of resveratrol and other wine polyphenols on vascular function: an update." J Nutr Biochem. 2011 Mar;22(3):201-11.

Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C, Rémésy C, Jiménez L. "Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability." Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):727-47. United States Department of Agriculture. "Pterostilbene's healthy potential." Accessed June 30, 2011. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/nov06/health1106.htm.

Health Benefits of Chocolate?

Written by Gloria Tsang, RD
Published in Dec 2005; Updated in Dec 2006

Read the full article here.

Benefits of Chocolate?

Quite a few studies have found that chocolate contains flavonoids, a type of polyphenol antioxidant. Research conducted at the University of Scranton has demonstrated that the quality and quantity of antioxidants in chocolate is relatively high when compared to other high-antioxidant foods. Cocoa powder ranks the highest of the chocolate products, followed by dark chocolate and milk chocolate. According to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, dark chocolate contains about eight times the polyphenol antioxidants found in strawberries.

In November 2001, researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that people with a diet high in flavonoid-rich cocoa powder and dark chocolate have slightly higher concentrations of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) when compared with the control group. This study, however, only investigated the health effects of cocoa in 23 people.

In a more recent study published in Hypertension journal in August 2005, researchers from Italy found that dark chocolate may lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. The research also found that levels of LDL cholesterol in these individuals dropped by 10 percent. It is important to note that this study also used a very small test group with only 20 subjects.

The Bottom Line

It is good to know that chocolate contains ingredients beneficial to health. However, it does not necessarily mean you should eat more chocolate products. Chocolate bars and candies are often high in fat, sugar and calories. Moderation is always the key - having a decadent piece of chocolate once in a while is not going to harm your health, either. If you have a choice, choose dark chocolate for its higher flavonoid content!

If you would like to include more foods with high levels of antioxidants, fruits & vegetables as well as whole grains would be a better bet as they are low in calories and high in vitamins and fiber. For a sensible heart smart diet, emphasize fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish and choose skinless lean meats.

Chocolate Recipe Substitution: When a recipe calls for chocolate, use dark chocolate (usually less sugar) or even better cocoa powder. To substitute 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 Tbsp of dry cocoa + 2 Tbsp of sugar + 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil.