Chocolade - cacao
Cocoa, but not tea, may lower blood
pressure
Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking tea may not, according to
an analysis of previously published research in the April 9 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/jaaj-cbn040507.php
Natural compound and exercise boost
memory in mice
A natural compound found in blueberries, tea, grapes and cocoa enhances memory in
mice, according to newly published research. This effect increased further when mice also
exercised regularly.
http://www.sfn.org/?pagename=news_052907a
New study suggests special cocoa may
lead to sustained improvement in blood vessel function
A new study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology found that
regular consumption of a special Mars Inc. cocoa containing cocoa flavanols may have a
sustained benefit on blood vessel health. This is the first study to suggest the
cardiovascular benefits of flavanol-rich cocoa could be long term.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-03/wsw-nss030607.php
Cocoa 'vitamin' health benefits could
outshine penicillin
The health benefits of epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, are so striking
that it may rival penicillin and anaesthesia in terms of importance to public health,
reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Norman
Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told C&I that epicatechin
is so important that it should be considered a vitamin
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-03/soci-ch030707.php
Cravings for chocolate increased by dieting
New research led by Professor Ben Fletcher and Dr Karen Pine at the
University’s School of Psychology, has revealed that dieting leads women into a
vicious cycle of negative emotions which in turn provokes cravings for the very foods they
are trying to avoid, chocolate being one of the most powerful. "An ideal target food
for such research is chocolate, since it is often the subject of a love-hate
relationship," said Dr Pine. "While it is loved for its pleasurable taste, scent
and texture, it is often disliked by some for its perceived high calorific and sugar
content and, as a result, some people make a conscious effort to restrict their
consumption of it."
http://perseus.herts.ac.uk/extrel/press-office/press--releases/pr-130207-hm.cfm
Boosting brain power -- with chocolate
Eating chocolate could help to sharpen up the mind and give a short-term boost
to cognitive skills, a University of Nottingham expert has found.
A study led by Professor Ian Macdonald found that consumption of a cocoa drink rich in
flavanols — a key ingredient of dark chocolate — boosts blood flow to key areas
of the brain for two to three hours.
Increased blood flow to these areas of the brain may help to increase performance in
specific tasks and boost general alertness over a short period.
The findings, unveiled at one of the biggest scientific conferences in America, also raise
the prospect of ingredients in chocolate being used to treat vascular impairment,
including dementia and strokes, and thus for maintaining cardiovascular health.
The study also suggests that the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate could be useful in
enhancing brain function for people fighting fatigue, sleep deprivation, and even the
effects of ageing.
Ian Macdonald, professor of metabolic physiology at The University of Nottingham, used
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect increased activity in specific areas of the
brain in individuals who had consumed a single drink of flavanol-rich cocoa. The effect is
linked to dilation of cerebral blood vessels, allowing more blood — and therefore
more oxygen — to reach key areas of the brain.
Flavanols are not only found in chocolate with a high cocoa content — they are also
present in other substances such as red wine, green tea and blueberries.
He presented his research at the annual meeting of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the biggest annual gatherings of scientists
from all over the world. This year's meeting takes place in San Francisco from February
15–19.
Professor Macdonald said: "Acute consumption of this particular flavanol-rich cocoa
beverage was associated with increased grey matter flow for two to three hours.
"The demonstration of an effect of consuming this particular beverage on cerebral
blood flow raises the possibility that certain food ingredients may be beneficial in
increasing brain blood flow and enhancing brain function, in situations where individuals
are cognitively impaired such as fatigue, sleep deprivation, or possibly ageing."
He emphasised that the level of cocoa flavanol used in the study is not available
commercially. The cocoa-rich flavanol beverage was specially formulated for the purpose of
the study.
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/
Cocoa Boosts "Good" Cholesterol
Drinking cocoa each day may boost levels of HDL ("good")
cholesterol, Japanese researchers report. Researchers, who included Kazuo Kondo, MD, PhD,
of Tokyo's Ochanomizu University, studied 25 healthy Japanese men with normal or mildly
high cholesterol levels.
http://www.onhealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79747
Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could
Outshine Penicillin
The health benefits of epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, are so striking
that it may rival penicillin and anaesthesia in terms of importance to public health,
reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Norman
Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told C&I that epicatechin
is so important that it should be considered a vitamin.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070311202024.htm
The Kuna indians and chocolate
Given the availability of an uncertain water supply, the Kuna boiled all of
their drinking water. As growing cocoa has been part of their culture for many centuries,
they were part of the Inca Empire, the Kuna took advantage of the boiled water to make
cocoa, which serves as their primary, indeed sole, drink. The island-dwelling Kuna drink
five cups of cocoa a day, as a minimum, and often much more. The cocoa that they use is
mostly home grown and is processed very gently. The cocoa that the island-dwelling Kuna
drink is very rich in flavanoids. These flavanoids are the same as those in red wine, tea,
and onions – all of which have been claimed to display cardiovascular protection. In
vitro, these flavanoids mimic the actions of acetylcholine on isolated strips of vascular
smooth muscle, inducing vasorelaxation. That action is reversed if the endothelium is
removed; is blocked by arginine analogs such as N-monomethyl-arginine and L-NAME, and is
associated with conversion of arginine to citruline. In the island-dwelling Kuna who drink
substantial amounts of cocoa, the renal excretion of nitric oxide metabolites, nitrate and
nitrite, is extremely high when compared to city-dwelling Kuna who drink little or no
cocoa. Indeed, the only cocoa available to city dwellers is the usual commercial sources
in which the flavanoid content is very low because of processing. All of the
commercially-available cocoas that we have assayed are flavanoid-poor.
http://www.dfhcc.harvard.edu/membership/member-profile/member/586/0/
