Archived CHOCOLATE & HEALTH NEWS
Chocolate is the leader of the growing "mood food" category with an estimated market worth at least $100 million, according to a Frost & Sullivan report. The report, however, warned that the market including foods that make people feel happy could be regarded as a "passing fad" unless chocolate products gain health claims status in Europe. Full Story
Why You Need Chocolate. It can heal your heart and mind — but you have to eat the right kind. Here's what to avoid, what to indulge in! Full Story
Regular consumption of chocolate may weaken bone density and strength, which in turn could increase the risk of health problems such as osteoporosis and fracture, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Women who ate chocolate daily had an overall bone density 3.1% lower than those who consume it less than once a week, reported Confectionery News. Full Story
Dark chocolate risks tumbling from its "good for you" confectionery pedestal, as a UK medical journal claims that many manufacturers in fact remove the heart healthy element - the flavanols... Full Story
Forget the tree, the carols, the family gatherings and the jolly old man in the red suit. Let's talk about what really makes people happy this time of year -- chocolate. According to a recent study, chocolate can make people happy -- really happy -- any time of the year. Full Story
Barry Callebaut is forging ahead with research that could establish the humble cocoa bean as one of the most potent healthy foods available to man, according to the chocolate giant's chief innovation officer... Full Story
There's an increasing amount of research that calls chocolate a health food, holistic nutrition practitioner Victoria Laine says. Her book, "Health by Chocolate," explains how to get the benefits of raw cacao, which studies have found might protect against heart disease and even some cancers. Canada.com
Phytobase Nutritionals will introduce a new functional organic chocolate called Amoriss, which is said to contain antioxidant-rich superfruit acai, pomegranate and red wine extract. Confectioners Barry Callebaut and Hershey-owned Dagoba this year also released chocolate products that contain probiotics and superfruit. Full Story
A Japanese study of 39 healthy adults found that flavonoid-rich dark chocolate can help improve blood flow in the coronary arteries. Participants who ate 550 milligrams of dark chocolate daily for two weeks were found to have improved coronary flow velocity reserve, while those who ate the same amount of white chocolate over the same period showed no change in CFVR. The Washington Post/HealthDay News
Chocolate study signals way to personalised health diets. A study has shed new light on people's food preferences and a specific chemical signature that can be programmed into the metabolic system, leading the way to healthy diets that cater to an individual's needs. Full Story
Chocolate cravings could be a result of stomach bacteria in people's digestive system that is linked to a desire for chocolate, according to a study at the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland, reported Fox News Channel. Full Story
Dark chocolate may help alleviate the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, a British study says. The study's lead author says polyphenols in dark chocolate are responsible for a reduction of symptoms of the condition, which is characterized by muscle fatigue after physical exertion. BBC
Several research articles have been published recently in scientific and medical journals concerning the benefits of products based on cocoa (Theobroma cacao, Sterculiaceae), including chocolate, for cardiovascular health. Full Story
Study: Chocolate Better than Flouride for Healthy Teeth? New research suggests an extract of cocoa powder that occurs naturally in chocolates, teas, and other products might be an effective natural alternative to fluoride in toothpaste, according to Tulane University. Full Story
Chocolate lovers have one more reason to celebrate. It seems that eating just 30 calories a day of dark chocolate a day can help lower blood pressure, without weight gain or other side effects, according to a new study. Full Story
Cocoa compound boosts memory, scientists say! A natural compound found in cocoa, blueberries, tea and grapes enhances memory in mice, especially when combined with exercise, according to newly published research. More
Cocoa powder contains an extract that is more powerful
for fighting cavities than fluoride, Tulane University
researchers have found. The compound consists of a white
power that often is found in chocolate and can be used in
a toothpaste to help harden tooth enamel and prevent cavities. ConfectioneryNews.com
Study:
Chocolate sweetens men's health Chocolate-loving
older men tend to be leaner, more educated, skinnier
and suffer from diabetes less than those who eat other sweets,
according to a new study reported in the European Journal
of Clinical Nutrition. Semisweet Chocolate eaters also had
better attitudes about their lives and were still planning
for the future, the study found. China
Daily (Beijing)
Study: Flavanol-rich cocoa boosts blood vessel function Researchers have discovered daily consumption of a specially created cocoa drink might have a positive effect on blood vessel health. The cocoa studied was rich in flavanols, naturally occurring compounds found in freshly harvested cocoa that can be destroyed during standard processing and manufacturing procedures. Newindpress.com (India)
As if people needed another excuse to like chocolate, new studies suggest a specially formulated type of cocoa may boost brain function and delay decline as people age, researchers said on Sunday. Full Story
Barry Callebaut has produced a new website www.acticoa.com entirely devoted to promoting the nutritional benefits of cocoa in an effort to counteract the increasingly unhealthy image of chocolate products and their unpopularity in a health-conscious market. Full Story
The Chocolate Manufacturers Association released a guide to cacao content labels to provide consumers with useful information and help them understand cacao terminology, reported Confectionery News.com. Full Story
Nearly half of Americans (46%) eat chocolate at least a few times per week, according to a recent survey by Barry Callebaut. Approximately four out of 10 Americans (43%) would buy chocolate that promises health benefits, and almost half of those surveyed (45%) would be willing to pay more for "health enhancing" chocolate. Full Story
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that chocolate thins blood and protects the heart in the same
way as aspirin. Flavanol, is the key compound in
chocolate which slows down platelet clumping that can block
off blood vessels and lead to a heart attack or stroke,
reported Houston Chronicle. Full
Story
Study:
Chocolate more exciting than kissing - A private research study found that the effects of eating
chocolate on the heart rate and brain activity were more
intense and long-lasting than the effects of kissing. Six
couples in their 20s were monitored once as semisweet chocolate
melted in their mouth and again as the couples kissed. "While
we fully expected chocolate, especially dark chocolate,
to increase heart rates due to the fact it contains some
highly stimulating substances, both the length of this increase
together with the powerful effects it had on the mind were
something none of us had anticipated," one psychologist
said. The
Age (Melbourne, Australia)
Drinking an unprocessed kind of cocoa that is not yet commercially
available may help improve blood vessel function, according
to a new report published in The Journal of Hypertension.
The study's authors receive grant support from Mars Inc.,
which also supplied the cocoa used in the experiments, reported
The New York Times on the Web. Full
Story
Candy industry focused on health - The annual candy expo
of the National
Confectioners Association was recently held
in Chicago to showcase new product innovations. The development
of healthier alternatives to conventional snack products
was a common theme at this year's expo. Low-calorie candy
products were unveiled by several companies including Hershey
Co., Nestle USA, and Russell Stover Candy Co.'s Whitman's
unit. The chocolate manufacturer Botticelli promoted a new
"cardio" bar featuring 400 milligrams of the heart-healthy
omega-3 fatty acids. Candy fortified with various nutrients
remains a strong trend in the industry. According to a report
by the Mintel Group, more than 100 fortified chocolate and
candy products have entered the market since 2003. The most
common types of fortification include calcium, omega-3s
and vitamin C.
A new study suggests that eating milk chocolate
may boost brain function. "Chocolate contains many
substances that act as stimulants, such as theobromine,
phenethylamine, and caffeine,which by themselves have previously
been found to increase alertness and attention," according
to Dr. Bryan Raudenbush from Wheeling Jesuit University,
WV.
WebMD answers questions on Chocolate
and Your Health in a Feb,2006 article.
Why
Cocoa May Help Heart Health. Antioxidants
Are Key -- and Not Always Saved in Cocoa Processing.
Antioxidants in cocoa might help your heart by keeping your
blood vessels relaxed, thus easing blood pressure and helping
circulation. So says a study in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences.
Dark-chocolate sales increased 42% over the last
five years, and one in three new chocolate products
is semisweet chocolate so far this year, compared with one
in seven in 2005, according to ACNielsen. As demand for
quality dark chocolate grew, the industry rushed to cater
to its core customers, women ages 25 to 40, who, surveys
by Mintel indicate, consume on average eight servings a
month. Hershey's, Godiva, Nestle's and Ghirardelli are among
the brands catering to this trend, reported The Philadelphia
Inquirer. Full
Story
Many American chocolate companies have begun labeling their bars according
to cacao content, a blend of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Chocolate's
taste is influenced more by the origin, blend and roasting of the cocoa
beans. A professor of baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America,
expects the next wave in chocolate marketing to focus on origin and variety
of cocoa beans, similar to how coffee is classified, reported TwinCitites.com. Full
Story
A new study reveals the chemical in chocolate
that produces known heart-healthy benefits. The
research found that epicatechin, one of a group of chemicals
known as flavanols, is directly linked to improved circulation
and other hallmarks of cardiovascular health. Full
Story
Chocolate may help repair damage to smokers' blood
vessels, at least temporarily, a new study shows.
The benefit may stem from antioxidants called flavonols
that are found in chocolate (and fruits and vegetables),
according to researchers in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology, reported Fox News. Full
Story
Flavanols Key To Potential Chocolate Benefits
(September 29, 2005) — Phytochemicals known as flavanols,
which are found in chocolate, fruits and vegetables, can
boost the levels of nitric oxide in the blood of smokers
and reverse some of their smoking-related impairment in
blood vessel function, according to a new study in the Oct.
4, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of
Cardiology. full
story
Researchers at the University of L'Aquila in Italy found
that bittersweet chocolate may help the body use
insulin more effectively and decrease blood pressure
Eating bittersweet chocolate can result in short-term
improvements in arterial function and blood pressure,
according to a new study conducted at Yale University's
Prevention Research Center and funded by The Hershey Company.
All products containing natural cocoa have flavanol
antioxidants, confirmed a study sponsored by The
Hershey Company in conjunction with Cornell University and
Brunswick Laboratories. The study also found that the level
of antioxidants in commonly available chocolate products
is directly related to the amount of natural cocoa contained
in that product.
Dark chocolate can lower blood pressure,
according to a study published by the American Heart Association.
The study joins a growing body of research that show compounds
found in chocolate called flavonoids can help the blood
vessels work more smoothly, perhaps reducing the risk of
heart disease.
Dark chocolate, but not white chocolate, may help
reduce blood pressure and boost the body's ability
to metabolize sugar from food, according to the results
of a study from the University of L'Aquila in Italy.
Upscale chocolate company Bissinger's Handcrafted
Chocolatier's is using health claims to tout its
new Spa Chocolate, which urges consumers to "treat yourself
to good health." The packaging says the candies contain
ingredients "linked to improved cardiovascular health, lowered
risk for certain types of cancer, a reduction in body weight
and a slowing of the aging process," but critics disagree,
reported STLtoday.com
The new Mars chocolate bar, called "Cocoa
Via," contains a soybean extract that has been
known to lower cholesterol. The candy bars, not yet in grocery
stores, can be ordered online.
A 15-year investigation into the molecular composition
and nutritional effects of cocoa, known in-house as the
''healthy chocolate'' initiative, by Mars Inc. Harold Schmitz,
who oversees research for the firm with $17 billion in annual
sales, seems to hope that cocoa - or more precisely, cocoa
processed according to Mars's special methods, with extremely
high flavanol levels - will then turn out to be among the
most potent and popular functional foods yet created. Article
Cardiologists at Athens Medical School in Greece found
that eating dark chocolate appears to improve the
function of important cells lining the wall of blood vessels
for at least three hours. But experts cautioned that the
weight gain from eating a lot of bittersweet chocolate probably
would cancel out the apparent benefit.
Eating dark chocolate helps blood vessels function
more effectively, according to University of California
researchers writing in the Journal of the American College
of Nutrition, reported BBC News. Full
Story
European researchers found milk and other dairy
products somehow discourage the body's ability to absorb
the protective compounds in chocolate. Details
of the study appeared the science journal Nature,
reported Cape Argus. Full
Story
A small study published in the Journal of the American
Medical Association suggests that eating bittersweet
chocolate can lower your blood pressure. The short
study would need to be confirmed in larger, longer-term
ones before doctors could recommend treatment with chocolate,
researchers say, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Candy makers and other food companies are marketing
low-carbohydrate chocolates for adherents of the Atkins
diet and other eating plans that restrict starchy and sugary
foods. Manufacturers acknowledge that the low-carb
candies contain the same sugar substitutes as sugar-free
chocolates, but say that the new product packages will make
more dieters aware of their snacking options, reported AZCentral.com.
Chocolate's Secret Power - Just 1 oz of dark chocolate
packs a big antioxidant wallop according to this
Prevention.com
article. You've read it before: Dark chocolate, the richer
in cocoa the better, is not only a to-die-for treat, it's
actually good for you. And just 1 oz of a very special chocolate
packs more than twice the healthy antioxidant punch of red
wine or other dark chocolates.
Chocolate and cocoa may help prevent heart attacks,
according to researchers at the University of
California at San Francisco. So far, just two commercially
available chocolate products - Dove dark chocolate bars
and M&M Baking Bits - are known to contain high levels
of flavanol, the substance linked to heart health, the study
found. UCSF |
