By: Terence McGurney
Here is great news for chocolate lovers. After almost a century of information arguing the pros and cons of the indulgent treat, there is fresh evidence to support the consumption of chocolate. A new report has found that moderate indulgence once a week can decrease the risk of heart disease. The study, first reported by the Standard in the UK, revealed that eating chocolate more than once a week lowered the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 8 percent when compared with people who eat chocolate less often. “Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy,” said the study’s author, Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
The research, which included 336,289 people and combined six studies, looked into the link between coronary heart disease and chocolate consumption. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels which supply oxygen and blood to the heart. Coronary heart disease happens when arteries develop blockages from built-up of fatty substances, and it is this ailment which can ultimately lead to heart attacks. In the United States alone, coronary heart disease kills more than 370,000 people each year.
The study found that several nutrients in chocolate, namely flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols and stearic acid, may decrease inflammation while also increasing good cholesterol. News of the scientific findings come just in time to accommodate stay-at-home orders associated with the novel Coronavirus, which has in many cases led people to increased binge-eating, and snacking to combat boredom. But Krittanawong’s study includes a word of caution. “Moderate amounts of chocolate seem to protect the coronary arteries but it’s likely that large quantities do not,” he said. “The calories, sugar, milk and fat in commercially available products need to be considered, particularly in diabetics and obese people,” added Krittanawong.
As per the NY Post, participants of the study were from the US, Sweden and Australia, and had an average follow-up time of roughly nine years, in the studies which spanned over the last fifty years. The analysis, which was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology Research, found that 14,043 of the participants did developed coronary heart disease. The study did not deliberate on which specific type of chocolate is best, or what the ideal portion size is. The author also noted limitations to the research based on the study not accounting for different lifestyle factors, like exercise or other healthful habits.
