Intro:
One of the most common issues I see in my practice is chronic inflammation. This long standing condition contributes to immune system dysfunction that underlies almost every disease state. Chroinic fatigue, chronic infeections, dementia, autoimmunity and even cancer get their beginnings from immune system dysfunction and imbalance. Finding multiple ways to combat and target inflammation can prove to be an effective way at disease prevention and reversal. Antioxidants like dark chocolate may help! http://www.ifm.org
Antioxidants, Polyphenols and their Benefits
Dark Chocolate has antioxidants that have evidence based benefits for health, heart and even mood effects. These scientific effects have been used by health practioners for thousands of years.
Cocoa beans are rich in minerals, flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants. Polyphenols and flavoinoids are chemical compounds that function in the body as antioxidants and help to calm inflammation. Antioxidants act by accepting the inflammation so your cells don’t have to! Two places where this can provide significant benefit is arterial health and brain health.
Ateririal Health and Cardiovascular Health:
Flavanols in cocoa stimulate the endothelium to produce nitric oxide (NO) which can relax blood vessels and decreases platelet clumping. 100 grams of dark (70%) chocolate can produce the same effects as one aspirin on platelets. Three servings of 30 grams of chocolate per week seemed to provide enough and more is not better.
Brain Inflammation:
Chocolate also has been shown in a 2020 study in Nutrients to act as a neuroprotector. The flavonols decrease oxidative stress that may contribute to inflammation in the brain. Cocoa has also been shown to interfere with the formation of amyloid plaques in Alzeheimers disease.
Mood:
Three weeks of 85% dark chocolated reduced negative mood. Dark chocolate is also known to act as a probiotic increasing microbiome diversity and neurotransmitters that may elevate mood.
Chocolate and the Microbiome
Microbiome:
Chocolate can increase the amount of butyrate producing bacteria which also helps with constipation and gut health.
Skin:
Antioxidants also provide added resistance in the skin to scaling and sunburn.
Performance enhancer:
1 ½ ounces daily also improved cycling performance
Sourcing and types:
Important to know your source as some chocolate can contain heavy metals like cadmium lead and mercury. Being mindful to source only organically grown cocoa sources is important to prevent contaminants like mercury. It is important to pair with healthy fats to improve absorption. Vitamin C is another antioxidant that may help with absorption of the flavanols in chocolate.
Storage:
Store chocolate in cool dry places at 60-70 degrees to preserve the antioxidant values. Dutch processing has also been known to damage the flavanols.
For more information or to come see us please visit us at http://www.drjenniferkessmann.com
References:
Kerimi, A., & Williamson, G. (2015). The cardiovascular benefits of dark chocolate. Vascular Pharmacology, 71, 11–15.
Focus: flavonoids, blood pressure, endothelial function, cardiovascular health.
Ding, E. L., Hutfless, S. M., Ding, X., & Girotra, S. (2006). Chocolate and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review. Nutrition & Metabolism, 3(2).
Focus: chocolate consumption and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Steinberg, F. M., Bearden, M. M., & Keen, C. L. (2003). Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103(2), 215–223.
Focus: cocoa flavonoids, antioxidants, vascular health.
Hooper, L., et al. (2012). Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(3), 740–751.
Focus: clinical evidence on blood pressure and cardiovascular markers.
Yang, J., et al. (2024). Dark chocolate intake and cardiovascular diseases: a Mendelian randomization study. Scientific Reports, 14, 968.
Focus: causal relationships between dark chocolate intake and cardiovascular disease risk.
Sacconi, R., et al. (2024). Benefits of dark chocolate intake on retinal vessels functionality: a randomized, blind, crossover clinical trial. Scientific Reports, 14.
Focus: circulation and vascular function effects of dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches. (2022). Frontiers/PMC review article.
Focus: antioxidant activity, nitric oxide production, cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.
