Chocolate good for heart health

1 September 2011 – Previous studies have found that chocolate, particularly that of a higher cocoa percentage, contains compounds which may reduce the inflammation that leads to heart disease. Chocolate is also believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which could be beneficial for health.

Now, new research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggests that chocolate may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Experts from the University of Cambridge reviewed seven studies on the issue. Five reported a positive link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and lower risks of several diseases.

People who ate the most chocolate had a 37% reduced risk of heart disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared with those eating the least. One of the studies also found a 31% lower risk of diabetes for chocolate lovers. The reason for these results is as yet unknown.

The research, which covered 114,0009 patients in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the US and Japan for about a decade, did not differentiate between dark and milk chocolate. The study examined consumption of chocolate bars, drinks, biscuits and desserts.

High consumption was generally regarded, depending on the study, as eating chocolate products more than once a week or 7.5g daily.

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