steve12553

This showed up in the Chicago Tribune today:

Chocolate Linked to Lower Blood Pressure

By CARLA K. JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer
Published February 28, 2006, 8:44 AM CST


CHICAGO -- Leave it to the Dutch to help demonstrate the health benefits of chocolate. A study of older men in The Netherlands, known for its luscious chocolate, indicated those who ate the equivalent of one-third of a chocolate bar every day had lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of death.

The researchers say, however, it's too early to conclude it was chocolate that led to better health. The men who ate more cocoa products could have shared other qualities that made them healthier. Experts also point out that eating too much chocolate can make you fat -- a risk for both heart disease and high blood pressure.

"It's way too early to make recommendations about whether people should eat more cocoa or chocolate," said Brian Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, who co-authored the study.

Still, the Dutch study, supported by grants from the Netherlands Prevention Foundation, appears to be the largest so far to document a health effect for cocoa beans. And it confirms findings of smaller, shorter-term studies that also linked chocolate with lower blood pressure.

The findings, published in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, are based on data collected for more than a decade on Dutch men who were ages 65 and older in 1985. The long-running Zutphen Elderly Study has been used by other researchers to look for risk factors for chronic disease.

This time, researchers examined the eating habits of 470 healthy men who were not taking blood pressure medicine. The men who ate the most products made from cocoa beans -- including cocoa drinks, chocolate bars and chocolate pudding -- had lower blood pressure and a 50 percent lower risk of death.

The men ate the equivalent of about 10 grams of chocolate a day.

Cocoa beans contain flavanols, which are thought to increase nitric oxide in the blood and improve the function of blood vessels.

"This is a very important article providing epidemiological support for what many researchers have been observing in experimental models," said Cesar Fraga of the University of California Davis, who does similar research but was not involved in the new study.

Buijsse noted the men eating the most cocoa products were not heavier or bigger eaters than the men who ate less cocoa.

Could the study results apply to women?

"Our study consisted of elderly men," Buijsse said. "If you look at the other interventional studies, you see the same effects in men and women, younger people and older people. It may be the findings are generalizable to women, but you never know."

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On the Net:

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Copyright © 2006, The Associated Press

Alexa

I heard some comments about the article on the radio this morning. I'm a bit skeptical about thier research. Why did they take only 65 years men in the study ? Healthy men over 65 ? Hmm. I don't believe there many of them at this age. They could get women and children in study. This is not a pharmaceutical clinical research to let them out. Plus, I'll be interested in the effect on sick people.

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

steve12553

There are tons of reasonably healthy men over 65, although that is a point where blood pressure may become a problem without the help of alcoholism and abusive eating. This may not be a bad test. Children would not have a blood pressure problem and women tend to be better off (without outside factors like heart disease)

Alexa

Well, they didn't convince me. It must be my pharmaceutical background who makes me more skeptical.

But I believe black chocolate is good, especially for our mood. :smilie:

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

Adasunshine

I love chocolate - all kinds and really couldn't care less if it's healthy for me or not, although, perhaps I should!!!

Of course, it's all good news if it does actually have health benefits!!!!

Someone pass the Green & Blacks..... :biggrin:

xx

Alexa

If you can steal it from my pocket ...* :biggrin:

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

Phyllis Sidheuaine

*a circle of :kitty:s surround an intricate sigil, an ornate cake stand in the center. Phyllis Sidheuaine mutters a few words, then throws her right hand towards the cake stand. Suddenly, a ten-tiered chocolate cake appears where there was nothing and the :kitty:s purr in satisfaction. The :kitty:s break circle and head straight for their dry kibble purring louder when they see/smell the tinned venison food/treat next to their regular dinner*

I can have cocoa or chocolate powder, but the fat content of chocolate candy is prohibitive.

Phyllis Sidheuaine

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Arguing with you is like trying to hang myself in zero gravity<br /><br />This politickin' stuff is hard without detect evil.

Alexa

I've just bought a piece of dark chocolate truffle-hazelnuts. Just could't help myself. :biggrin:

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

phiddlechik

after reading these I just had to go get a bite of chocolate, and it's only 6:35 a.m.
And i've lost 25 pounds on the diet! (since Jan. 23)

tum

hazelnuts... hmm..