Dark chocolate could be the secret to a healthier heart, states Chemist Direct
(PRWEB UK) 6 May 2014 -- It may seem too good to be true, but research has shown that dark chocolate may actually be good for you.
Research from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, showed that dark chocolate can help restore flexibility to the arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels. White blood cells sticking together and blocked arteries can lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks. http://bit.ly/1cYeeZw
Superintendent pharmacist at ChemistDirect, Omar El-Gohary, said, “Atherosclerosis is the thickening of artery walls in the body and dark chocolate can actually help prevent the white blood cells from sticking together and clogging the arteries.”
The key ingredient in dark chocolate is the cocoa bean. It is rich in Flavanoids, highly antioxidant plant nutrients that help the blood resist damage such as high oxidation and cholesterol. Flavanoids can also help with lowering blood pressure and improving the blood flow to the brain and heart.
Djederik Esser, from the Top Institute of Food and Nutrition and the Division of Human Nutrition in The Netherlands, said that dark chocolate should not only be encouraged because it allows people to indulge with less guilt, but also because it could open the way to therapies that have the same positive benefits but with better and more consistent results.
Gerald Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, said, “Until the ‘dark chocolate drug’ is developed, we’ll just have to make do with what nature has given us.”
This is not, however, and excuse for people to run to the nearest shop and stock up on chocolate bars. When chocolate is processed through fermentation, alkalizing or roasting, the Flavanoids are lost, and the goodness is taken out of the chocolate. http://bit.ly/1cBquOc
El-Gohary added: “Dark chocolate still contains relatively high amounts of sugars and fats so shouldn’t be taken in large amounts. Small servings in moderation are key in obtaining the benefits of dark chocolate without side effects. Flavanols (the main type of Flavanoid found in cocoa) can also be found in fruit and vegetables.”
Samantha Smith, Chemist Direct, +44 1215414952 Ext: 205, [email protected]
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