Listen up, men! On this Valentine's Day, why not surprise your special lady with chocolates that are healthier for her heart? Dark chocolate eaten in moderate amounts weekly is associated with improved cardiovascular fitness in women, research suggests.
Scientists are only beginning to understand why dark chocolate is heart healthy, but a new study offers this explanation—its rich content of cocoa antioxidant compounds, called polyphenols, could enhance activity of special proteins called sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), which are involved in cholesterol metabolism.
These activated SREBPs then bind to genes on DNA (sterol regulatory element sequences) that boost liver production of another protein called apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), which is the major protein component of HDL "good" cholesterol.
Correspondingly, cocoa polyphenols also decreased production of another protein in the liver called apolipoprotein B (ApoB), which is the major protein component of LDL "bad" cholesterol. The study also showed cocoa polyphenols induced activity of LDL receptors, allowing more cholesterol to be removed from the bloodstream.
The scientist’s findings—suggesting that polyphenols in dark chocolate may help maintain higher “good” cholesterol levels and lower "bad" cholesterol levels—were published in the February issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, published by the American Chemical Society.
The researchers write, "As cholesterol metabolism is known to be regulated by several different mechanisms, it is possible that cacao polyphenols may act on multiple pathways as a regulatory receptor agonist or ligand, similar to other plant polyphenols."
So, what's the message you give with dark chocolate? Romance, of course – but with a healthy twist for your sweetheart's heart.
Source: Yasuda A, Natsume M, Osakabe N, Kawahata K, Koga J. Cacao Polyphenols Influence the Regulation of Apolipoprotein in HepG2 and Caco2 Cells. J Agric Food Chem 2011.
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
10 February 2011
17 August 2010
How to win her heart? Moderate amounts of dark chocolate
They say chocolate is the way to a woman's heart, and they could be right – eating one or two servings of dark chocolate weekly is good for the hearts of middle-aged or elderly women.
A nine-year observational study followed 31,823 healthy Swedish women ages 48 to 82 and found that those who ate moderate amounts of high-quality chocolate had healthier hearts.
The women who gained the most heart-health benefits had eaten one or two servings of the dark chocolate weekly, followed by those who ate one to three servings monthly. Each serving of chocolate was typically between 19 and 30 grams.
On the other hand, the women who ate one or more servings per day received no benefit, which the researchers suggest was result of replacing other nutritious foods with the chocolate. So, enjoy dark chocolate, but in moderation and as part of a nutritious diet.
Men, take note – the quality of the chocolate matters.
Finding the right chocolate for a woman’s heart health, while avoiding the pitfalls of eating other chocolates high in fat and sugar, depends on content and value of its cocoa.
The chocolate the Swedish women ate contained higher amounts of cocoa than milk chocolate and was not as highly processed as most dark chocolate found typically in North America.
When choosing dark chocolate, seek out versions that are minimally processed and high in cocoa flavonoids for greatest antioxidant strength. Cocoa is naturally one of the world's richest sources of antioxidant flavonoids, which are also found in various fruits and vegetables, tea and red wine.
Previous studies have explored dark chocolate as a delicious and convenient way to gain sufficient antioxidants to support cell health, cardiovascular and heart health.
Source: Mostofsky E., Levitan E.B., Wolk A. et al. Journal of the American Heart Association.
Note: This original post was written to be published here.
A nine-year observational study followed 31,823 healthy Swedish women ages 48 to 82 and found that those who ate moderate amounts of high-quality chocolate had healthier hearts.
The women who gained the most heart-health benefits had eaten one or two servings of the dark chocolate weekly, followed by those who ate one to three servings monthly. Each serving of chocolate was typically between 19 and 30 grams.
On the other hand, the women who ate one or more servings per day received no benefit, which the researchers suggest was result of replacing other nutritious foods with the chocolate. So, enjoy dark chocolate, but in moderation and as part of a nutritious diet.
Men, take note – the quality of the chocolate matters.
Finding the right chocolate for a woman’s heart health, while avoiding the pitfalls of eating other chocolates high in fat and sugar, depends on content and value of its cocoa.
The chocolate the Swedish women ate contained higher amounts of cocoa than milk chocolate and was not as highly processed as most dark chocolate found typically in North America.
When choosing dark chocolate, seek out versions that are minimally processed and high in cocoa flavonoids for greatest antioxidant strength. Cocoa is naturally one of the world's richest sources of antioxidant flavonoids, which are also found in various fruits and vegetables, tea and red wine.
Previous studies have explored dark chocolate as a delicious and convenient way to gain sufficient antioxidants to support cell health, cardiovascular and heart health.
Source: Mostofsky E., Levitan E.B., Wolk A. et al. Journal of the American Heart Association.
Note: This original post was written to be published here.
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