Dark Chocolate and Insulin Sensitivity

Short-term Administration of Dark Chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons.

Click here to view original article.

Davide Grassi, Cristina Lippi, Stefano Necozione, Giovambattista Desideri, and Claudio Ferri

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies indicate that flavanols may exert significant vascular protection because of their antioxidant properties and increased nitric oxide bioavailability. In turn, nitric oxide bioavailability deeply influences insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and vascular tone. Thus, flavanols may also exert positive metabolic and pressor effects.

Objective: The objective was to compare the effects of either dark or white chocolate bars on blood pressure and glucose and insulin responses to an oral-glucose-tolerance test in healthy subjects.

Design: After a 7-d cocoa-free run-in phase, 15 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to receive for 15 d either 100 g dark chocolate bars, which contained ≈500 mg polyphenols, or 90 g white chocolate bars, which presumably contained no polyphenols. Successively, subjects entered a further cocoa-free washout phase of 7 d and then were crossed over to the other condition. Oral-glucose-tolerance tests were performed at the end of each period to calculate the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI); blood pressure was measured daily.

Results: HOMA-IR was significantly lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion (0.94 ± 0.42 compared with 1.72 ± 0.62; P < 0.001), and QUICKI was significantly higher after dark than after white chocolate ingestion (0.398 ± 0.039 compared with 0356 ± 0.023; P = 0.001). Although within normal values, systolic blood pressure was lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion (107.5 ± 8.6 compared with 113.9 ± 8.4 mm Hg; P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Dark, but not white, chocolate decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy persons.

February and March Chocolate Holidays

Here are the latest Chocolate Holidays - past and future:

February 28th - National Chocolate Souffle Day
Click here for a recipe from The Food Network.

March 19th - National Chocolate Caramel Day
Click here for a recipe from Epicurious.

March 24th - National Chocolate-Covered Raisins Day
Click here for a recipe from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.

April 21th - National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day
Click here for a recipe from Savory Simple.

Is Chocolate a Health Food?

From www.drweil.com.

Read the full article here.

Q	Is Chocolate a Health Food? What do you think of the recent news that chocolate is good for the heart?
A	Answer (Published 12/9/2004)
The latest news about chocolate - that it makes blood vessels more flexible - adds to accumulating evidence that chocolate offers a number of health benefits and may be good for the heart. Earlier findings had shown that chocolate contains polyphenols, the same kinds of antioxidants found in red wine and green tea; stearic acid, a type of fat that doesn't raise cholesterol levels; and flavonoids, which reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages. In the most recent study, researchers at Athens Medical School in Greece recruited 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a 3.5-ounce bar of dark chocolate and then undergo ultrasound tests to see how the chocolate affected the functioning of endothelial cells in blood-vessel walls. Normally, these cells control the stiffness of blood vessels by secreting substances that regulate flexibility. The researchers found that on the days the volunteers ate dark chocolate (as opposed to those who ate fake chocolate), endothelial function was improved for about three hours. These are interesting findings, but we don't yet know what they mean in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, or deaths. This study doesn't tell us whether eating dark chocolate on a regular basis would reduce the risk of heart disease. We do know, however, that eating too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which might cancel out any beneficial effects that chocolate confers. So the good news about chocolate isn't a license to overindulge. I enjoy high-quality dark chocolate from France, Belgium and Venezuela. It is so richly delicious that a single piece is a satisfying snack or after-dinner treat. Limit yourself to an ounce several times a week. If you can't find good imported chocolate, look for a domestic brand that contains at least 70 percent cocoa. Andrew Weil, M.D.
Some Rights Reserved Creative Commons Copyright Notice A portion of the original material created by Weil Lifestyle, LLC on DrWeil.com (specifically, all question and answer-type articles in the Dr. Weil Q&A Library) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Grapes Kick Out the Nasties

From Sharecare.com, July 2009

Click here to read the original article.

If you need another reason to pull some grapes off the bunch, you just might have one.

Grapes contain chemical cousins -- pterostilbene and resveratrol -- that work as a cleanup crew, mopping up nasty free radicals in your body so they're less likely to cause problems such as heart disease and cancer.

Protective Phenols
In a study of mice, pterostilbene and resveratrol -- phenolic compounds found mainly in grape skins -- had an antioxidant-like knack for knocking out breast cancer cell processes. It's early news though; researchers still need to examine how the grape compounds affect human cancer cells.

Great Grape Nutrients
But we already know that the resveratrol in grapes has heart-protective properties, regardless of its effect on cancer. And grapes have lots of other good things going for them -- like anthocyanins, which attack disease-fostering inflammation, and vitamin C. So don't wait for further evidence before improving your health with a juicy bunch.

Red wine is one of the most potent sources of resveratrol. Find out more about resveratrol.

Health Benefits of Chocolate Questioned

Posted on Confectionery News.com

By Charlotte Eyre, 07-Jan-2008

Dark chocolate risks tumbling from its "good for you" confectionery pedestal, as a UK medical journal claims that many manufacturers in fact remove the heart healthy element - the flavanols.

http://www.confectionerynews.com/Ingredients/Health-benefits-of-chocolate-questioned

National Chocolate Mint Day - February 19th

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day!

Grab yourself a box of Thin Mints, some Andes Chocolate Mints, or you can make some chocolate mint syrup, the recipe is below. 

If you’re not familiar with chocolate mint check out this article. 

Chocolate Mint Plant

Spoonful of Chocolate Mint Syrup

Chocolate mint denotes both the flavor and the mint variety used in this recipe for homemade chocolate mint syrup. If you don't have access to chocolate mint, you can use regular mint instead.

Try this syrup in milk or to flavor coffee, as a dessert sauce for cake or ice cream, or over fresh fruit.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 30 chocolate mint leaves, rinsed, patted dry, and torn into pieces (You may substitute plain mint).

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa powder and cold water, and whisk together until smooth.

Add the sugar and torn mint leaves and place the saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to melt the sugar. As soon as the syrup begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken and turn glossy.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

When the syrup has cooled to near room temperature, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Prostate Benefits From Red Wine

Attention men: the benefits of red wine, from the Harvard Men’s Health Watch

June 2007

Click here to read original article.

Researchers have found that men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only 52% as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine, reports the June 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. In addition, red wine appears particularly protective against advanced or aggressive cancers.

Researchers in Seattle collected information about many factors that might influence the risk of prostate cancer in men between ages 40 and 64, including alcohol consumption. At first the results for alcohol consumption seemed similar to the findings of many earlier studies: There was no relationship between overall consumption and risk. But the scientists went one step further by evaluating each type of alcoholic beverage independently. Here the news was surprising—wine drinking was linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. And when white wine was compared with red, red had the most benefit. Even low amounts seemed to help, and for every additional glass of red wine per week, the relative risk declined by 6%.

Why red wine? Doctors don’t know. But much of the speculation focuses on chemicals—including various flavonoids and resveratrol—missing from other alcoholic beverages. These components have antioxidant properties, and some appear to counterbalance androgens, the male hormones that stimulate the prostate.

Many doctors are reluctant to recommend drinking alcohol for health, fearing that their patients might assume that if a little alcohol is good, a lot might be better. The Harvard Men’s Health Watch notes that men who enjoy alcohol and can drink in moderation and responsibly may benefit from a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cardiac death.

February 14th - National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day and National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day!

I have to say I’m learning all sorts of interesting facts by maintaining this blog. I had no idea there was a day dedicated to cream-filled chocolates. I was exploring the internet and came across this recipe by Stephanefalies for Chocolates for Men. The fillings are based on flavors that men might gravitate towards like Bacon and Whiskey.

Box of Homemade Chocolates

Instead of buying a box of chocolates for the ones you love you can make your own with interesting flavors, enjoy!

Back In Action for 2014!

National Red Wine and Dark Chocolate Day is back in action!

You may have noticed that I have changed the holiday from National Red Wine and Dark Chocolate Month to Day. This has been something I’ve been experimenting with for a while. A friend mentioned that have a month dedicated to Red Wine and Dark Chocolate seemed excessive. I don’t want to encourage anyone to overindulge since too much of either is unhealthy so we’re back to June 21st.

Here are some chocolate related holidays that I didn’t create posts for in December, January, and February:

• December 16: National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day

Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Sea Salt!

My friend Mari was kind enough to provide a recipe for Dark Chocolate dipped Clementines with Sea Salt in honor of National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day. You can check out the recipe here.

• December 28: National Chocolate Day
• January 3: National Chocolate-Covered Cherries Day
• January 10: National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
• January 27: National Chocolate Cake Day
• February 1: National Dark Chocolate Day