H E A L T H Y
E A T I N G
The new
craze
cocoa
By Bev Bennett
C
ocoa stirs up warm associations: hot
chocolate after a brisk autumn walk,
homemade chocolate pudding for
dessert on a chilly evening.
Now scientific evidence
suggests that cocoa, the feel-good flavoring,
may be very good for you: Including cocoa
in your diet may reduce your risk of heart
disease and improve insulin resistance. In fact,
as healthy indulgences go, cocoa may rival or
even surpass dark chocolate.
HELPING HEART HEALTH
"All the evidence seems to agree that there
are positive cardio and metabolic effects [from
cocoa], and we don't see any negative effects
such as raising triglycerides," says Eric Ding, a
nutritionist and epidemiologist at the Harvard
School of Public Health in Boston.
Ding's research, which reviewed and analyzed
previous studies, suggests that cocoa may reduce
blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and
increase HDL ("good") cholesterol, while not
affecting total cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
And at last year's meeting of the American
Chemical Society, an entire symposium was
devoted to cocoa's health benefits, which may
include treating migraines.
BEHIND THE BENEFITS
What gives cocoa its potential benefits? For
one, cocoa is rich in flavonols, a distinct group
of plant substances that help protect the plant
from toxins and repair damage. In people,
flavonols may increase the formation of nitric
oxide, which promotes vasodilation, reducing
blood pressure.
In addition, cocoa contains plant sterols that
may also provide heart benefits, according to
Dr. Timothy S. Harlan, assistant professor of
clinical medicine at Tulane University School
of Medicine in New Orleans.
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