Recent evidence of heart-healthy benefits of chocolate shows that this most fondly revered of foods can now be eaten, given as a gift and received with a pure heart and a clear conscience. Chocolate contains substances similar to those found in red wine that can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and decrease cardiovascular risk factors.
Short-Term Effects
A meta-analysis study published in a 2010 edition of "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" sought to clarify some of the controversy surrounding the effects of cocoa products on cholesterol. Reviewing experiments conducted on cocoa, the raw material used to make dark chocolate, the study found that in short-term experiments, LDL levels were significantly lowered and total cholesterol was marginally lowered. Additionally, the researchers reported that they found a cholesterol-lowering effect with low-dose consumption of cocoa in individuals with cardiovascular disease risks but no evidence of a cholesterol-lowering effect in healthy individuals.
Polyphenols
The low absorption rate of polyphenol antioxidants in cocoa compared to other food sources was the subject of a study published in the 2010 "International Journal of Molecular Science." Cocoa polyphenols have been shown to inhibit the oxidation of LDL, an important factor in prevention of atherogenesis, and cocoa contains high concentrations of polyphenols. However, the researchers point out that the polyphenol compounds found in most commercially available cocoa are a less absorbable form and recommend that consuming cocoa along with carbohydrates, as opposed to fats or proteins, may increase the bioavailability of the polyphenol compounds.
Procyanidins
Cocoa procyanidins -- a type of flavanol antioxidant -- were thought to decrease intestinal absorption of cholesterol in a study published in the 2009 "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry." High-fat diets supplemented with procyanidins were fed to rats for four weeks and significantly decreased blood cholesterol to a level closer to that for a normal diet. The researchers noted that procyanidins reduced the solubility of cholesterol and hypothesize that this effect may lower blood cholesterol by inhibiting absorption in the intestine.
History
The Mayans were the first people to use chocolate as a food, according to the website FieldMuseum.org. They mixed ground cocoa into a paste made with chile, cornmeal and other flavorings which was then diluted and consumed as a bitter, unsweetened beverage. Spanish conquistadors brought chocolate back to Europe, where it was a cherished drink of the upper class, who added cinnamon and other sweet spices and gradually, the use of chocolate as a confection evolved.
Cautions and Adverse Effects
As it turns out, chocolate's bad reputation is mostly undeserved and has to do with guilt by association. Chocolate products are often heavily sweetened and include high quantities of saturated animal fats from butter and milk, which contribute to diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk, bringing the health coefficient of chocolate -- and its reputation -- down. To gain the benefits of this truly healthy food, look for products made with lower amounts of sugars and fats and modify recipes when cooking at home.
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