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Examining chocolate ensures a healthy heart
Chocolate seems to be healthier than her reputation
Actually, chocolate is considered unhealthy fattening. In recent years, however, there have been various studies that the delicious sweets certainly also positive health effects certified. For example, Swiss scientists proved last year: black chocolate protects against stress. However, with some supposed news, one has to be careful: it has recently become known that journalists published a fake study that said that you stay slim when eating a lot of chocolate. Neither the "Institute for Diet and Health" that published a press release on sensational diet, nor the study itself has actually existed. The action should draw attention to the credulity of the media. But scientists from Scotland are now reporting that people who consume a relatively high amount of chocolate have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Study shows positive effect of chocolate. Picture: hiphoto39 - fotolia Lower blood pressure with higher chocolate consumption
As reported by the Swiss National News Agency (SDA), a research team from Aberdeen University has studied the data of 21,000 British people who participated in a large-scale nutrition study (EPIC Norfolk study). In addition, further scientific work on chocolate and heart disease was investigated. It was found that among the participants in the EPIC study, those who consumed more chocolate had lower blood pressure, fewer inflammatory proteins in the blood, and less diabetes. Interestingly, higher chocolate consumption was associated with a lower body mass index (BMI), higher physical activity, and younger age, according to a statement in the study.
Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
The researchers now report in the journal Heart that the calculations showed that chocolate eaters had an eleven percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25 percent lower risk of dying compared to chocolate abstainers. On average, the EPIC participants were accompanied for 12 years; 14 percent of them suffered heart disease or stroke. One-fifth said they did not eat any chocolate, some said they would eat up to 100 grams and the daily average of all participants was seven grams. Even with the highest consumption of chocolate, a 23 percent lower stroke risk was noted, even after other risk factors such as age or weight had been taken into account.
Observational study says nothing about cause and effect
The team led by Chun Shing Kwok pointed out that this is an observational study that does not say anything about cause and effect. For example, it is possible that people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, as a precaution, generally eat less chocolate. In addition, surveys on nutrition consumed would often be underestimated. "However, data suggest that higher chocolate consumption is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular disease," the researchers said. According to the information, this correlation was found not only with black chocolate, but also with milk chocolate, which was consumed more frequently by EPIC participants. The researchers speculate that this may indicate that not only antioxidant substances such as flavonoids explain the association with heart disease, but also components of milk such as calcium and fatty acids. "There seems to be no indication that people worried about their cardiovascular risk should give up chocolate," the researchers said. Connections with the chocolate industry were not mentioned by the study authors. The study was funded by the British Government's Medical Research Council and the non-governmental organization Cancer Research UK. (Ad)