Sunday, June 14, 2009

Dark chocolate thins the blood, improves the lipid profile and reduces inflammation

Dark chocolate with a prescription and reimbursed by social security? Without going so far (and that's a shame!) Cocoa beans were used for therapeutic purposes for centuries. These are two studies that will be honored today The first study comes from Johns Hopkins University, Department of Medicine and Research Center thrombosis. It was published in the Southern Medical Journal and was presented as part of a larger study at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association 2007. The dark chocolate is one of the richest in flavonoids, the antioxidants also found in some fruits red or in red wine. This study focuses on 28 volunteers who agreed to eat dark chocolate for a week. The objective was to administer 700 mg of flavonoids per day. Some study protocols are still more tolerable than others ... The first objective of this study was to measure the impact of chocolate consumption on reactivity of blood platelets, then the inflammatory parameters of the body and finally on the lipid profile (good and bad cholesterol). After a week, the bad (LDL) cholesterol fell by 6%, the good cholesterol increased 9%. The activity of platelets fell significantly (effect in the case of heart disease for example to avoid the occurrence of strokes). The inflammatory condition of the body (C-reactive protein) also fell but this result is significant that in women. The authors concluded from this study that regular consumption of dark chocolate for a week has improved the lipid profile and decreased platelet aggregation. In women it has also demonstrated a decrease in the inflammatory condition of the body. It would therefore be a protector of the cardiovascular system. The second study comes this time from Europe, specifically Italy, Laboratory of Genetic and Environmental Epidemiology at the Catholic University of Campobasso. It was published in the Journal of Nutrition, the official organ of the American Society for Nutrition. This study focuses on more than 2,100 subjects who said they regularly or occasionally eating chocolate for the last year. It showed that consumption of dark chocolate helps reduce inflammation in the body. Nevertheless it is a curve J. It means that the ideal dose was 20 grams every 3 days. Below or beyond the markers of inflammation increased. This second study has shown that regular, small doses of dark chocolate can reduce general inflammation in the body. The dark chocolate is not part of the essential elements of the Mediterranean diet, is perhaps what gives it its part so important! As we reiterated Elodie Cauvin, the dietician, not prohibited in a plan. A little fun from time to time provided that it is just casual.

No comments:

Post a Comment