More Good News for Chocolate Lovers
Getting your CRP levels down is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. This study showed people eating one serving of dark chocolate a few times a week had significantly lower CRP levels than those who didn’t. The drop in CRP was enough to decrease the risk of heart disease by one-fourth in men, and one-third in women.
Kristina Lewis, ND
Guest Columnist, Asheville Citizen-Times
October 28, 2008
As the world seems to crumble around us with economic woes, unending war, and gasoline shortages, it’s nice to finally hear some good news. Dark chocolate (in moderation) really is good for you!
A recent Italian study, scheduled to be published in the Journal of Nutrition’s October issue, adds just one more check in favor of chocolate’s health benefits. This study noted that people who ate a moderate amount of dark chocolate had significant reduction in their CRP levels.
CRP stands for C-reactive protein, a blood marker of inflammation that is correlated with heart disease, heart attack, and stroke risk. Several large studies have shown that elevated CRP may be even more important than high cholesterol in determining your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Getting your CRP levels down is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. This study showed people eating one serving of dark chocolate a few times a week had significantly lower CRP levels than those who didn’t. The drop in CRP was enough to decrease the risk of heart disease by one-fourth in men, and one-third in women. That’s a lot!
There’s always a catch…
Before you go out and purchase chocolate by the bushel, I fear I have to tell you one more thing. The researchers noticed that when people ate too much chocolate, all of the health benefits disappeared. Just like the studies about red wine, a little is really good for you, but a lot is not.
The optimal amount of chocolate seems to be one small square of dark chocolate, two or three times a week. Much more, and unfortunately the benefits to your heart seem to decrease.
It also really does seem to matter the quality of the chocolate. A piece of milk chocolate or white chocolate does not seem to have any health benefit. It has to be dark chocolate, with the higher concentration of cocoa the better. Be wary of mass marketed “dark” chocolate bars that are simply dark colored milk chocolate that may not have the medicinal value that a real piece of dark chocolate has. This is one of those times where it is worth it to spend a little more on a high quality chocolate bar, but only eat a few squares a week.
Why Chocolate?
The magical constituent in cocoa is still debated, but most researchers agree that the high flavonoid content in dark chocolate is part of what helps the heart. Flavonoids are natural antioxidants that help protect the cells of our bodies from damage and inflammation. Other foods high in flavonoids include berries, green tea, and red wine.
Other studies to show support for chocolate and heart health include:
- 1 square of dark chocolate a day lowers blood pressure (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 2007)
- Dark chocolate can improve coronary blood flow to the heart (Circulation, November 2007)
- Blood pressure and cholesterol lowering effects seen from dark chocolate (Journal of Nutrition, April 2008)
- Chocolate can improve artery health in type II diabetic patients (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, June 2008)
Dr. Kristina Lewis is a naturopathic doctor with Lewis Family Natural Health in Asheville. She can be reached at 828-298-4800 or www.LewisNaturalHealth.com.
A great source for Organic, Dark Chocolate:
Vital Choice Organic Extra Dark Chocolate features healthy fats, minerals, and antioxidants. Savored sparingly, it makes a delicious, satisfying treat that is custom-crafted from the best cocoa beans, rich in antioxidants and flavor, organic and following principles of fair trade.
