Dark chocolates cut heart attack risk? Not quite

If you are thinking of throwing out your cholesterol medication and chomping on dark chocolate instead, don't.

A group of cardiologists here has rubbished a recent study in Australia which claims that eating dark chocolate is a cost-effective way of cutting one's risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study is flawed, they say.

Just published in the British Medical Journal, the study claims daily consumption of dark chocolate over 10 years would cut the number of fatal strokes and heart attacks by 15 for every 10,000 people, and the number of non-fatal strokes and heart attacks by 70 for every 10,000 people.

The team from Monash University said: “Daily dark chocolate consumption could be an effective cardiovascular preventive strategy.”

Flavanoids, found in dark, but not milk, chocolate, are known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels – two risk factors for heart attacks.

The Australian researchers calculated that if the country invested A$40 (US$39.78) a person a year in a “chocolate strategy” with advertisements, education and possibly a subsidy, it would reap good returns.

Reginald Liew, a cardiologist at Singapore's National Heart Centre, said while it is true that previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of eating dark chocolate, the researchers did not take into account the large amount of sugar and fat that would also be consumed, “which may undo some benefits found in this study”.

This is a failing even the Monash team admits.

Another flaw which limits the usefulness of the result is that the study was based on statistical modeling, meaning that the outcomes are “hypothetical” and not based on “real data”, said Liew.

He added that even if the findings were real, people would need to eat a lot of dark chocolate daily over 10 years – for “very modest benefits”.

Pipin Kojodjojo from the National University Heart Centre said: “Before you rush out to stock up on dark chocolate, be aware that the study has many flaws.”

It is unrealistic to expect people to eat a 100g bar of dark chocolate every day of their lives, he added. Even if one assumes that a chocolate bar costs only S$1 (78 US cents), it would cost more than S$40 million to prevent 70 non-fatal strokes and heart attacks and 15 deaths among 10,000 people.

Kojodjojo added: “I would argue that we'd prevent more strokes and heart attacks and save more lives if we could get 10,000 people to exercise for 20 minutes daily for 10 years, or 10,000 smokers to stop smoking for 10 years, or 10,000 at-risk patients to eat a healthier diet for 10 years.”

via thejakartapost.com

They have a good point. Eating better, exercising or giving up smoking are probably better options.

It's true! Chocolate really can improve your health - but only if it's dark

Can chocolate really be good for us? It’s a bit like saying that ice cream will make you live longer. How can something so naughty, so delicious, be good for us? Stories about the health-giving properties of chocolate appear from time to time and I greet each one with profound scepticism, not forgetting that there are nearly always some commercial interests behind publicising the supposed benefits. Research by the food and pharmaceutical industries can’t be true, can it?The evidence on chocolate is accumulating and may have just reached the tipping point. We’re talking about the dark kind, not the more addictive milk variety. The latest study examined the effects of chocolate on stress in 30 healthy people for two weeks.Every day, each volunteer was given 40g (about four squares) of dark chocolate, eating half in the morning and half in the afternoon.Using standard, accepted psychological and biochemical tests, stress levels were measured before, during and after the study. The results surprised me. We know chocolate soothes, pampers and spoils. But it also turns out it relieves stress. The levels of stress-related hormones like cortisol dropped in everyone, including those who were highly anxious at the beginning. The research concluded that eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day as part of a healthy diet can help people who are stressed. You’ll notice I keep repeating “dark chocolate”. In the study, the chocolate was made of 70% cocoa solids and it’s these that are rich in the alkaloid chemicals, which affect cellular metabolism. If you’re not convinced, there are two more studies. The second involving 1,000 people found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who hardly ate it at all.The scientists claim chocolate contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat accumulation. The third study confirms that moderate quantities of dark chocolate can lower blood glucose and bad LDL cholesterol and therefore the risk of heart disease. But it only works if you don’t gorge.

What does a chocolate craving say about your health?

Possible ailment: Depression, stress, premenstrual tension

So why do you crave the sweet stuff when you’re working on a deadline or feeling down in the dumps?

Well, compounds found in chocolate called alkaloids may help to raise the levels of serotonin - the mood-boosting hormone.

Chocolate is also a source of magnesium and B-vitamins, which are used by the body in energy production, meaning it can help give us energy when we’re under pressure.

A small Swiss study in the Journal of Proteome Research found eating 40g of dark chocolate every day for two weeks reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in people who’d been battling with pressures.

Craving chocolate may also be a sign of premenstrual tension. Some women also find themselves lacking in magnesium at this time, and chocolate is high in the mineral, says Shona Wilkinson.

Magnesium is vital for everything from your nerves to your bones and immune system.

Find out what other food cravings may tell you about your health 

http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/what-food-cravings-say-about-your-health-1.1113243

 

Dark Chocolate in the Top 10 heart-friendly foods

6. Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains the wonderful components of resveratrol and flavonoids to protect your heart. Scientists are particularly excited about resveratrol because animal studies have shown that it can prolong life. In buying chocolate, choose the dark variety, which has 70-percent cocoa content. Yes, it has a slightly bitter taste, but dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

 

See the other 9 heart-healthy foods and full article here 

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=712240&publicationSubCategoryId=80

5 Healthy and Low-Fat Chocolate Truffles that Won't Bust Your Diet: Shape Magazine

By Jennipher Walters

If you’re a chocoholic, there’s really no better chocolate-fix than a truffle. Decadent and rich, you probably think that truffles have to be full of fat and calories, right? Wrong! We have not one, not two, but five ways to indulge in low-fat truffles totally guilt-free!

5 Healthy Truffles that Won’t Bust Your Diet
1. Lemony Truffles. With just 86 calories per low-fat truffle, these lemony truffles are the perfect mix of chocolate and lightness for summer!

2. 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar. Who says you can’t have a candy bar when trying to lose weight? This 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar has just 85 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per bar. Crispy and chocolatey, they’re a delish low-fat truffle option!

3. Skinny Cow’s White Mint Truffle. If you like your chocolate truffle with a touch of mint, this ice cream truffle treat won’t disappoint! And with just 100 calories, it won’t break the calorie bank either!

4. Powerbar Essentials Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. Power your workout and get your chocolate-truffle fix with this protein bar that marries chocolate with berry flavor.

5. Vosges Yoga + Chocolate. These truffles are for the yogis out there, as this company’s chakra gift box pairs seven exotic truffles with yoga poses!

Jennipher Walters is the CEO and co-founder of the healthy living websites FitBottomedGirls.com andFitBottomedMamas.com. A certified personal trainer, lifestyle and weight management coach and group exercise instructor, she also holds an MA in health journalism and regularly writes about all things fitness and wellness for various online publications.