Eating chocolate as part of a balanced diet helps keep your heart healthy.
- Eat chocolate once a week to take care of your heart blood vessels.
- Chocolate contains heart-healthy nutrients like flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid, which can reduce inflammation and raise good cholesterol.
Why is chocolate bad for your health? Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston have suggested that eating chocolate at least once a week may reduce the risk of heart disease. This is the result of a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiologya journal of the European Society of Cardiology.
Chocolate, once a week
“Our research shows that chocolate helps maintain healthy heart blood vessels“, said lead author Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong. The idea for this study came from reviewing previous research showing the benefits of cocoa food. “In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is good for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels, the researcher reported. I wanted to see if it affects the blood vessels that supply the heart (coronary arteries). If so, is it beneficial or harmful?
To find out, the team of scientists collated the results of studies conducted over the past five decades, focusing on the relationship between chocolate consumption and coronary heart disease. In the end, six studies and 336,289 people who detailed their chocolate consumption were involved. Nine years later, 14,043 participants had developed heart disease and 4,667 had a heart attack.
Beware of excess
For the benefits of chocolate to be felt, it should not be abused. The results of these analyzes indicated that eating chocolate once a week was associated with an 8% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. “Chocolate contains heart-healthy nutrients such as flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid, which may decrease inflammation and increase good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol),” said added the doctor.
Consuming too much chocolate is bad for your health. The abuse of this food can cause a calorie surplus and contribute to clog the arteries and trigger cardiovascular diseases. It is therefore recommended to remain reasonable and to consume it in moderation. Further research is needed to determine which type of chocolate should be favored and in what quantity. “Reasonable servings of chocolate seem to protect the coronary arteries, but large amounts may not,” says Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong. The calories, sugar, milk and fat of commercially available products should be considered, especially in people with diabetes and obesity.”
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