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A heart-shaped box of chocolates has long been known as a romantic and delicious gift. But in recent years researchers have found that chocolate |
GET EXCITED when I hear anything about the health benefits of chocolate. Needless to say, I practically drooled when I recently heard about chocolate that is treated to protect natural, heart-healthy chemicals.
For me, as for many people, chocolate is happy food. Not only is it luscious, sensual and romantic, it's also been shown to contain natural mood-boosting chemicals. The rich aroma of hot cocoa and the sweet smell when I unwrap a bar of dark chocolate are incredibly pleasurable.
Scientists like chocolate, tooIn the last few years, research has trickled in showing that chocolate, long associated with Valentine's Day, may actually be good for the heart. Some studies show that dark chocolate and cocoa can relax blood vessels, reducing the risk of high blood pressure.
The saturated fat in chocolate is stearic acid, a special substance that has not been shown to clog arteries when eaten in moderation.
Cocoa is a rich source of magnesium, which is known to improve heart health and insulin sensitivity.
Recent studies have focused on natural antioxidant chemicals found in chocolate. These procyanidins are also found in red wine, grapes, cocoa, cranberries, blueberries, apples, cinnamon, black tea, hazelnuts, pecans, grape seeds and some supplements.
One Korean study suggested that cocoa's antioxidants are more powerful than those in green tea, black tea or red wine, but that study was in the test tube, not on human beings.
In fact, there are precious few studies of chocolate's effect on human beings. But this January, German researchers announced that flavanoid-rich cocoa drinks raised levels of healthy nitroso compounds in the blood while dilating arteries in the arms.
Chocolate gets healthy boostStill, with all the calories and sugar in most chocolate products, they can't be called health foods.
At least one candy company is hoping to change that. Mars Inc. has developed a unique method of processing cocoa to preserve its natural flavanoids. Mars' scientists have partnered with others at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of California-Davis on various projects.
The company has been testing its new cocoa drink on people. Scientists at several universities participated in a small study showing that the special cocoa is as effective as aspirin in preventing unwanted blood clots, a risk for heart attacks and strokes.
The new drink is not available in stores, and a spokesperson for Masterfood USA, a division of Mars, wouldn't say if or when it might be released.
The company also has developed flavanoid-rich chocolate, which is already used in small amounts of in Dove Bars and M&M's. It is also touting a line of purportedly heart-healthy granola bars with the special chocolate drizzled over them. I tried some free samples of the Cocoa Via Chocolate Crunch Bars, which I thought were tasty for granola bars but not my idea of a luxurious dessert. The company did not send me the other five flavors.
Cocoa Via has about three times more flavanoids than a generic candy bar, and a Dove dark chocolate bar contains about twice as much, according to a presentation by scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mars.
The Cocoa Via bars are relatively low in calories, 80 per serving, and have plant stanols, which help lower blood cholesterol, added as well. Mars fortified the granola bars with a significant amount of calcium and modest amounts of several vitamins.
"It's really not a candy bar," said spokesperson Marlene Machut.
Mars is not selling Cocoa Via bars in stores, but they can be ordered over the phone or from the online site cocoavia.com.
Chocolate for everyoneFor pure pleasure, I'll stick with dark chocolate and cocoa, both of which are higher in antioxidants and magnesium than milk chocolate. Also, high-quality chocolates are less likely than cheap brands to use fillers made with artery-clogging trans fats.
Cocoa has fewer caloriesCocoa is really an incredible bargain: lots of antioxidants and magnesium for fewer calories than chocolate. Many processed hot cocoa packets and syrups, however, don't have lots of actual cocoa powder in them.
If you're looking for health benefits, you may be better off making hot cocoa from scratch, using the tubs of cocoa powder found in the baking aisle at grocery stories. It's easy. Heat a cup of milk in the microwave, stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder, and add sugar or sweetener to taste. I like to add a drop of vanilla extract to smooth out the flavor, and a pinch of cinnamon.
My latest indulgence is a rich hot fudge sauce recipe that I modified, served over creamy bananas. The sauce was inspired by "Chocolate on the Brain" by Kevin and Nancy Mills, published by Houghton Mifflin in 2000. My version has less fat, sugar and calories, but no seems to notice! While this is not a low-calorie dessert, it compares favorably to cake or ice cream. The recipe is provided above.
