Eating high levels of chocolate could be associated with
a significant reduction in the risk of certain cardiovascular
disorders (Photo: Kirti Poddar on Flickr)
Chocolate lovers are unlikely ever to need encouragement to
indulge, but just in case, here's some good news: researchers
have found that higher levels of chocolate consumption have been
associated with a 37% reduction in the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease, 31% reduction in diabetes and a 29%
reduction for stroke.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge in the UK analyzed
the results of seven studies involving more than 114,000
participants. The studies looked at consumption of both dark and
milk chocolate and included chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and
chocolate snacks.
Previous research has shown that cocoa and cacao products
appear to have a positive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
effect on heart health. The Cambridge analysis found a
significant association between increased consumption of these
products and reduced risk for any cardiovascular disease, stroke
and diabetes.
Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death
worldwide and according to World Health Organisation estimates
will kill nearly 23.6 million people by 2030. Metabolic
syndrome, associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes
and cardiovascular disease, affects about one fifth of the
world's adult population.
However, these diseases are largely preventable through
lifestyle changes including diet, and chocolate may provide a
convenient and popular way of helping prevent these illnesses
when more is understood about its effect on our health.
Chocolate may also be a valuable preventive in the developing
world which is experiencing epidemics of cardiometabolic
diseases, especially as most cacao production takes place in
these countries but the processed product is not readily
available.
Of course, most commercially available chocolate contains
high levels of sugar and fat which can contribute to weight
gain, hypertension, diabetes and other diseases. Ways of
reducing these unhealthy elements, while retaining an acceptable
taste, need to be explored to make chocolate healthier.
So to the inevitable caveat ... until there are guidelines on
how much chocolate should be consumed, how often and in what
form, moderation is still recommended.
The
research was presented at the European Society of Cardiology
(ESC) Congress in Paris and has been published in the
British Medical Journal.
Copyright © gizmag 2003 - 2011 To subscribe or visit go to:
http://www.gizmag.com