We’ve always been encouraged to supplement our diets with catechin-rich foods that are low in fat, such as apples and tea, but now we can add chocolate to that list. No don’t go overboard and run off to order the whole chocolate factory, a small portion of dark chocolate a day is quite enough.

Eating a few squares of dark chocolate a day may help to reduce the risk of serious heart disease and every smoker should be fighting the narrowing arteries caused by their habit with some catechin-rich foods in the daily diet. Chocolate can even help protect your teeth from decay. Scientific research also shows that chocolate could help to prevent cancer. But like all research, it’s best to look at the team which undertakes it.

Anti-Oxidants

Anti-oxidants are widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements for health purposes such as preventing cancer and heart disease. Tea was always thought to contain the largest amount of these antioxidants but now we are told dark chocolate has four times as much as compared to tea.

Comparison : Dark chocolate - 53.5 mg of catechins per 100 gm
milk chocolate - 15.9 mg per 100 gm
black tea - 13.9 mg per 100 gm

Phenols

Chocolate, like red wine, also contains phenols which reduce the presence of free radicals that damage cells and DNA. Phenols prevent fat like substances in the blood stream from oxidising and clogging the arteries, a major cause of heart attack.

Tooth Protection

It’s suggested that the cacao plant, from which chocolate and cocoa is derived, boosts the immune system, and helps stop dental decay. Tooth cavities start when bacteria produce a sticky molecule called glucan which helps the bacteria anchor themselves to teeth and form plaque. These and other nasty bacteria in plaque convert sugar to acids, which then eat away the surface of the tooth. The next step is cavities.

As you eat chocolate, your teeth get a coating of cocoa butter, and this apparently retards the formation of plaque. Of course the sugar in the chocolate does contribute to cavities, but no more than the sugar in any other food. Scientists believe that the benefits of antibacterial agents in cocoa beans outweigh the high sugar levels.

One particular scientist, Carl Keen, says chocolate can definitely thin the blood and help to prevent clotting. He also advocates the theory of tooth protection. As women, we know too well that research comes in many shapes and forms, and ultimately it’s used for marketing and sales. Carl Keen, and his no doubt excellent research team, are funded by confectionery maker Mars. Just keep that in mind before you blow the budget on chocolate.

Tags: chocolate