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Chocolate has received a lot of attention for being a treasure trove of nutritional
goodness. Polyphenols in cacao beans are linked to promoting heart, brain, and liver
health, which has sparked renewed interest in chocolate as a medicinal food. And a new
study adds to the growing list of benefits, showing that chocolate polyphenols also help
to lower bad cholesterol.
Published in the journal Diabetic Medicine, the study tested the effects of
polyphenol-rich chocolate in a group of 12 volunteers with type-2 diabetes. After 16
weeks, the researchers from Hull University in the U.K. discovered that the polyphenols helped lower
participants' bad cholesterol
levels while raising good cholesterol levels.
"Chocolate with a high cocoa
content should be included in the diet of individuals with type-2 diabetes as part of a sensible,
balanced approach to diet and lifestyle," said professor Steve Akin, author of the
study.
Back in August, NaturalNews
covered a Swedish study that found similar results (http://www.naturalnews.com/029559_c...).
It also showed that high-flavanol chocolate
that has been minimally processed is much different than the highly-processed chocolate
candy sold in most grocery stores.
Actual cacao beans are rich in vital nutrients,
including alkaloid bitters like theobromine (a different substance than the harmful
bromine chemical), which stimulates the heart muscle and dilates blood vessels. This compound and others
provide demonstrable benefits in lowering high blood pressure and maintaining healthy
arteries.
Processed chocolate, however, has been stripped of most or all of these nutrients. Add in
the bad fats and refined sugars and you are left with a chocolate product that is actually
bad for your health. So when
consuming chocolate, be sure to look for unprocessed, superfood varieties like those made
by Transition Nutrition (www.TransitionNutrition.com),
Empowered Chocolate (www.EmpoweredFoods.com),
Sacred Chocolate (http://www.sacredchocolate.com/raw-...),
and WildBar (www.WildBar.info).
(10.19.2010, Jonathan Benson) http://www.naturalnews.com/030098_chocolate_cholesterol.html
Sources for this story include:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11...
The Patagonian SuperFood & the King of antioxidants!
Knowledge is the key to good health.
Eastern