Doctor Wants To Test Treating Heart Patients With Chocolate
Featured ArticleMain Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet; Clinical Trials / Drug Trials; Hypertension
Article Date: 10 Apr 2006 - 16:00 PST
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4.26 (35 votes) |
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3.67 (12 votes) |
| Article Opinions: | 4 posts |
Dr. Roger Corder, William Harvey Research, London UK, is applying for permission to treat 40 patients who have cardiovascular diseases with plain chocolate.
(Dark Chocolate = Plain Chocolate. No milk in it)
Recent studies have shown that flavonoids are good for blood pressure, strokes and heart disease. Flavonoids are found in chocolates. Flavonoids are said to lower one's levels of bad cholesterol.
Many worry that although chocolates contain flavonoids, they are also high in fats and sugars. Would the risks of consuming more fats and sugars offset any of the benefits offered by flavonoids?
Dr. Corder says it depends which dark chocolate you are talking about. He acknowledges that not all dark chocolates are good for you. He believes it will take about a year before it is clear which dark chocolates could be used for his study. He stressed that recent research indicating the benefits of chocolate for health should not been seen as an excuse for an Easter chocolate feast.
Dr. Corder added "I am intrigued about how these ingredients change vascular function….we need to study it more. Most of the studies to date have been looking at volunteers or people with milder diseases. We have to look at patients with severe disease."
Dr. Corder said research into the consumption of grape seed extracts for heart patients could be just as useful.
Many fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids, as does tea and some wines (red wines).
Most heart doctors see chocolate consumption as part of a problem for heart patients (as well as for anyone who puts on weight).
Some health professionals have written to us, most messages contain the gist of the phrase below:
"If other products, such as fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids, why not do the study using those?"
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (4)
Raw Cocoa Nibs works for me ...
posted by George Mitchell on 11 Apr 2006 at 1:27 pmI am in my late fifties and have had hypertension for fifteen years (currently taking lisinopril) and five years of heart palpitations which became very severe with metoprolol prescribed but ineffective.
I then happened to take some aloe vera about a year ago for an intestinal problem and noticed the palpitations instantly vanished. I have been on the aloe vera ever since with no recurrence of the palpitations. Late last year, it occurred to me that the cure for the hypertension might be just as doable. I then started taking CoQ10 followed by a significant retreat in BP. I also started using dark chocolate, but never really got into it because of fear of the fat and sugar content and heavy metal contamination.
Then it occurred to me that I could bypass all of that by simply eating the raw cocoa nibs. Very little fat, no sugar and far less risk for lead and cadmium. After nearly a month on the nibs I am already seeing interesting things happen with my BP. I used to experience these crisis times when my BP would shoot up in response to stress. Now it is as if that is getting capped somehow. The crisis period is shorter and my BP is not going nearly as high. I am finding the benefits of both aloe, CoQ10 and cocoa in combination to be impressive. I am off the metoprolol and hope to one day soon be able to start to taper the lisinopril.
Cocoa Nibs Are Not A Panacea
posted by Samantha Madell on 2 Nov 2006 at 5:37 pmGeorge, it's great to hear that raw cocoa nibs have helped your hypertension.
But I have a few comments to make regarding your (mistaken) belief that raw cocoa nibs are low in fat, and that they will protect you from heavy metal contamination.
People should be aware that raw cocoa nibs are naturally very high in fat (they are typically at least 50% fat).
Also, when heavy metals (usually lead and/or cadmium) contaminate chocolate, the metals almost always come via the cocoa -- so eating nibs instead of processed chocolate won't automatically protect you from heavy metals.
Cocoa Nibs Are Not A Panacea(heavy Metals Are Not From The Cocoa Nibs)
posted by Pilot on 28 May 2007 at 8:17 am I will differ with Samantha Madell's suggestion that heavy metal contamination is higher in cocoa nibs than manufactured cocoa products. The reverse is true, for recent research shows that cocoa products contain 300 times more lead than cocoa nibs. As such the best thing to do if you want to eat cocoa, just get rid of the shells and eat the nibs.
PILOT
Question Of Fat...
posted by Jonathan Evatt on 1 Feb 2009 at 9:59 amThis is a follow up to what Samantha Madell had to say.
To the best of my knowledge, it is correct that Cocoa is relatively high in fat. The fat found it high quality dark (i.e. bitter sweet) chocolate is from the addition of cocoa butter (fat) to the mix. The same goes for many mid quality brands. Most commerical chocolate, however, tends towards using a combination of dairy fats, refined cocoa fat, and other additives intended (amoung other things) to create solid bar from what would otherwise be a paste. In the USA they even use parafin wax. At least they did some years ago when I lived there and last checked into the matter. Lovely. That's just gotta be good for ya!
High blood pressure is not, according my research, the direct result of fat intake per say. Different fats behave differently in the body. Coconut fat, for instance, is an almost entirely SATURATED fat and as far as I can ascertain (and I've been studying this sorts of matters for about 18 years) cold pressed coconut fat is very health promoting. There are substaintial indications it can even tend the body toward losing weight due to the stimulating effect it has on the metabolism (which I understand if primarily achieved through its stimulating effect on thyroid activity). Yet the medical establishment in all its wisdom would like people to believe all saturated fat is BAD for them.
I have not researched the type of fat specific to Cocoa but I would tend toward assuming the fat in raw processed cocoa is very healthy. The fat found in commerical chocolate, even if source from cocao, will be heat processed and quite likely chemically extracted (much in the same way most commerical oils are produced). This kind of fat is a far cry from that found in raw cocoa nibs, or raw olives, or raw coconut... for instance.
George, I honour and admire you for taking your health into your own hands. Fantastic. It is the ONLY place such an important matter belongs. Keep exploring, trying, testing, and enjoying whatever great super foods you can get your hands on. I encourage you to ensure the cocoa you source is certified organically grown. I have lived in the Carabean at one time in my life and they spray crops there like there is no tomorrow, using numerous chemicals that were baned in the USA and are then marketed to developing countries offshore. Some of the plantations around where I lived included cocoa. Oh, I do miss having great big orange-red cocoa fruits growing at my doorstep.
Regards,
Jonathan Evatt
http://www.jonathanevatt.com
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