Antioxidants in Chocolate and their Health Benefits

Antioxidants in Chocolate and their Benefits to Health.

For the purposes of this article, an antioxidant is something that
counteracts the effects of oxidisation on a molecule or atom. When we
talk about oxidisation effects on the body, we refer to the reaction of
oxygen on these molecules, producing 'free radicals'. These free
radicals have a deficit of electrons in their outer shells, thus making them
unstable and able to 'strip' electrons from neighbouring cell structures,
or the DNA, to restore their electric charge balance. By removing
electrons from another nearby cell, free radicals damage that cell,
which, if it afffects the DNA, can lead to cell death or cancerous growth
through DNA damage.

Free radical damage is slowly being understood as being one of the
major mechanisms responsible for cancer, and inflammatory diseases of
the body, especially the endothelium lining all our blood vessels.
Antioxidant molecules have the property of reacting with the free radical
and neutralising it, thereby stopping the chain reaction effect from
damaging more cells. The main antioxidants in the body are:-

Vitamin E
Beta-carotene
Vitamin C
Selenium too is a very important mineral, responsible for the proper
function of one of the body's enzyme antioxidant systems.

These antioxidants can't be made by the body and so have to be
supplied as part of a balanced diet. Polyphenols, strangely enough found
in red wine & the in skins of red grapes, also play a major antioxidant role.
As we age, the antioxidant benefit of certain foods have a decreasing
protective effect on our bodies, and increasing reliance on factory farming
methods, with the resultant reduction in vitamin & mineral content, also
mean that we should supplement with a good quality organic
(not cheaper synthetic) multivitamin. Why do farmers feed their animals
supplements, if they are fed plant foods similar to what they supply us
with? Farmers are not renowned for wasting money!

The Good News!
Dark chocolate is an antioxidant food high in poylphenol content!
Research has shown that portion for portion, dark, high-cocoa content,
non 'Dutched' chocolate, has the highest antioxidant property of any
food. Studies carried out with dark chocolate in 2001 found marked
improvement in HDL Cholesterol levels, while another study in
2005, entailing eating 100g of dark chocolate daily for 15 days, also
showed a significant reduction in cholesterol. Onset of oxidised LDL
cholesterol was delayed by consumption of cocoa drinks for between
2-4 weeks, in tests carried out in 1996,2001 & 2002. It seemed that the
greater the flavanol content, the greater the antioxidant action.

Phenols and Platelets.
Platelets are a constituent of blood and are vital in enabling the blood to
quickly coagulate at a wound site. However, a wound site can also
occur on the endothelium, due to free radical damage, cholesterol
damage or other factors, causing platelets to stick there and cause
classic 'furring' of the artery, or plaques. Tests in 2000 by
Rein, showed that high cocoa content chocolate caused a
eduction in platelet activity in the short term, thereby reducing the risks of
internal clotting.

Chocolate and Blood Pressure.
Tests done by Taubert in 2003, and Grassi 2005, showed a
reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure following eating of high
cocoa content dark chocolate for around 14 days. White chocolate had no
effect and the effects of dark chocolate on blood pressure was not
apparent in people with normal blood pressure.

Chocolate and the Blood Vessels.
One of the most important functions of the endothelium (the organ lining
every blood vessel) is to expand and constrict the blood vessels in
response to demand for more blood during excercise, and less when
relaxing, respectively. Impairment of endothelial activity, mainly through
smoking and other poor life-style factors, is often responsible for decreased
endothelial function e.g. sudden heart attack in moments of stress or panic
(the flight or fight response). Similarly, when an unfit person suddenly runs
for a bus; the endothelium cannot dialate the blood vessel sufficiently to
allow for greater blood demand by the heart. Poor endothelial response
can be reversed through excercise, correct diet and especially, wait for it,
increased ingestion of flavanols. Tests done by Fisher in 2003
showed that cocoa flavanols in the diet improved endothelial action
significantly.

Conclusions.
Chocolate, in moderation, is very good for you. I say in moderation
because it has as a high calorific content which would balance out the
considerable health benefits detailed above, if eaten in large quantities.
As with any food, if you eat more than you burn off you will get fat!
Having said that, the fat content of cocoa butter is a stearic acid, which
has a neutral effect on cholesterol. So, eat chocolate wisely, and enjoy yourself.
The biggest influences on overall bodily health is maintaining a sensible diet,
take organic food supplements daily and SMILE! With a positive attitude, you'll live longer!

References:-
Fisher ND et al. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric
oxide-dependant vasodilation in healthy humans. Am Jour of Clin Nut.

Grassi D, et al. 2005b. Short term administration of dark chocolate is
followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and decrease in
blood pressure in healthy persons. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000.

Grassi D, et al. 2005a. Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin
resistance and improves endothelium-dependant vasodilation in
hypertensives. Hypertension 2005.

Taubert D, et al. Chocolate and blood pressure in elderly individuals with
isolated systolic hypertension.

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