Cocoa Rich in Health Benefits

Harvard researchers suggest that cocoa may have significant health benefits. The researchers analyzed 21 studies with 2,575 participants and found that cocoa consumption is associated with improved blood vessel health, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. The apparent benefits, according to Eric L. Ding, of Harvard Medical School, are from polyphenolic flavonoids that may prevent heart disease. These antioxidants are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, tea, wine, and coffee. Flavonoid-rich cocoa consumption was also linked to reductions in diabetes risk factors, including insulin resistance. Most of the studies included in the analysis were short-term research projects that used sugar-free, dark chocolate not the usual commercially available chocolate, which is high in added sugar and fat. Presented at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions