It’s not just dark chocolate that’s good for you

Research in the Journal of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research has highlighted that it may not just be dark chocolate that’s good for you.

The study showed that white chocolate consumption improved platelet aggregation and function, which could enhance cardiovascular health.

42 healthy subjects were randomly given an acute dose of flavan-3-ol enriched dark (907mg flavanols), standard dark (382mg flavanols) or white chocolate (0mg flavanols).

Results were gender specific. Flavan-3-ol enriched dark chocolate significantly decreased platelet aggregation and P-selectin expression in men. In women, consumption was shown to decrease platelet aggregation and increase fibrinogen binding. Ex vivo bleeding time was increased in both genders.

Men also experienced beneficial effects when consuming white chocolate. White chocolate was shown to significantly decrease P-selectin expression and increase ex vivo bleeding time. This effect was not observed in women.

As the white chocolate did not contain any flavonoids, other compounds would have to be responsible for the anti-platelet effects, for instance the small amount of whey protein. Indeed, some peptides of whey protein have previously been shown to inhibit platelet function in vitro.

The benefits of white chocolate consumption mostly diminished six hours after consumption. The researchers suggested that, “regular consumption of small quantities of flavan-3-ol rich dark chocolates may help to sustain these effects for longer. Nevertheless, increasing consumption of such products will also increase fat and sugar consumption, which may outweigh any beneficial anti-platelet effects.”

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