flavonoid metabolism

Americans love chocolate. In fact, millions of us are admitted "chocoholics." U.S. chocolate consumption is about 3.3 million pounds per year, according to the National Confectioners Association. That's almost 12 pounds for every man, woman and child in the nation.

But for more than 21 million Americans have diabetes, is prohibited - as Luscious dark chocolate truffles - are not part of a healthy diet. Many of us believe that sinful indulgences sweet should be healthy, especially for diabetics. Or not?

The good news is that recent clinical studies show that some types of chocolates actually have health benefits. Dark chocolates, particularly those made with minimal processing, are rich in flavonoids, potent plant compounds with properties antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to gobble up free radicals - compounds that cell membranes murderer, heart damage, attack DNA, causing aging, and cause heart attacks and cancer more likely.

You may be surprised to know that black chocolate actually has more antioxidants per gram that red wine, green tea, peanuts, blueberries, apples and other fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants.

An independent study directed by Claudio Ferri and researchers from the University of L'Aquila in Italy found that consuming dark chocolate not only lowers blood pressure and cholesterol since some studies suggest, but also improves the body's processing of sugar - and, in theory, guards against diabetes. Jeffrey B. Blumberg of the University, who collaborated on the study, said: "The new finding suggests that specific flavonoids have beneficial effects on several health measures.

Dark The chocolate contains more flavonoids and less saturated fat than milk chocolate. Cocoa powder and baking chocolate contains more flavonoids than dark chocolate, while that white chocolate has none. The flavonoids in chocolate, of course, are called flavanols.

Ferri and his colleagues included dark chocolate bars in the diet of the 10 volunteers with high blood pressure, and gave another 10 bars of white chocolate flavonoids. The subjects were not obese, and none gained a significant amount of weight during the five-week study. The volunteers who consumed dark chocolate bars reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while white chocolate experienced no change given.

In addition, black chocolate group demonstrated accelerated metabolism of blood sugar (glucose), a process that involves the hormone insulin. Impaired insulin function may lead to diabetes. Dark chocolate also lowered cholesterol in patients with hypertension, researchers reported.

Additional benefits associated with dark chocolate in other studies include improved flexibility of the arteries, which can help reduce blood pressure, and reducing the stickiness of blood platelets from forming clots, which can reduce the risk of stroke and other problems.

Another study in University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, tested the effects of dark chocolate against white chocolate in the hardening of the arteries and heart disease in smokers. The study authors concluded that "... only a black chocolate daily treatment can significantly increase the amount of antioxidant intake and beneficially vascular health.

Another study conducted at the Hospital of the University of Cologne and published in the July 2007 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association American (JAMA) concludes that consumption of small amounts of black chocolate was "associated with decreased blood pressure without weight gain or other adverse effects. "

"Chocolate is a remarkable substance with enormously beneficial properties for health," says Keith Scott-Mumby, MD, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in diet and nutrition chocolate made from the doctor. Its delicious black truffles, made with the best natural dark chocolate Switzerland and red raspberries, contain zero trans fat and total fat low. Sweetened by xylitol, a sugar alcohol that is recognized by the FDA as very safe, every one of truffle has only 20 calories. "It is totally safe for diabetics," Dr. Scott-Mumby says.

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