Dark Chocolate Reduces Stress and Inflammation, Boosts Memory and Mood from Dr. Mercola
Dark Chocolate Reduces Stress and Inflammation, Boosts Memory and Mood
May 10, 2018 • 92,495views
Story at-a-glance
When
it comes to chocolate, its cacao content — which is bitter, not sweet —
the amount of sugar added, and the processing chocolate undergoes, makes
a huge difference in terms of whether it has any health benefits
Raw
cacao gets its bitter taste from the polyphenols present, and these
plant compounds are also responsible for most of the health benefits
associated with dark chocolate
The
cacao bean contains hundreds of naturally occurring compounds, including
epicatechin, resveratrol — two powerful antioxidants — phenylethylamine
(which boosts mood) and theobromine, which has effects similar to that
of caffeine
Human
trial data reveal chocolate helps improve stress levels, inflammation,
mood, memory and immune function, but it must contain at least 70
percent cacao and be sweetened with organic cane sugar
A
number of other studies have confirmed cacao can benefit your heart,
blood vessels, brain and nervous system, and helps combat diabetes and
other conditions rooted in inflammation
By Dr. Mercola
Throughout its history, which dates back at least 4,000 years,1
chocolate has been a symbol of luxury, wealth and power. During the
14th century, the Aztecs and Maya even used cacao beans as currency.
Modern research has also revealed chocolate has significant health
benefits — provided you're willing to give up the now-familiar
sweetness of modern day milk chocolate.
Its cacao content
— which is bitter, not sweet — the amount of sugar added, and the
processing chocolate undergoes, makes a huge difference in terms of
whether it has any health benefits. Raw cacao gets its bitter taste from
the polyphenols present, and these plant compounds are also
responsible for most of the health benefits associated with dark
chocolate. Milk chocolate, on the other hand, has few, if any,
redeeming qualities, as it is loaded with sugar, containing very low
amounts of flavonol-rich cacao.
Cocoa Contains Hundreds of Health Promoting Chemicals
The cacao bean contains hundreds of naturally occurring compounds
with known health benefits, including epicatechin (a flavonoid) and
resveratrol, the former of which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and is thought to help shield your nerve cells from damage.
Norman Hollenberg, a professor of medicine at Harvard who has spent
years studying the Kuna people of Panama who consume up to 40 cups of
cocoa a week, believes epicatechin is so important it should be
considered a vitamin.2
The Kuna have less than a 10 percent risk of stroke, heart failure,
cancer and diabetes, which are the most prevalent diseases ravaging the
Western world.3 Kuna elders also have very low rates of high blood pressure, a feature attributed to their high cocoa consumption. Resveratrol,
a potent sirtuin activator, is known for its neuroprotective effects
and has been linked in many recent studies to work synergistically with
NAD to increase longevity. It has the ability to cross your
blood-brain barrier, which allows it to moderate inflammation in your
central nervous system (CNS). This is significant because CNS
inflammation plays an important role in the development of
neurodegenerative diseases.
Research also shows resveratrol is an exercise mimetic, producing
similar mitochondrial benefits as exercise by stimulating AMPK and
PKC-1alpha, which increase mitochondrial biogenesis
and mitophagy. Another compound found in cacao is phenylethylamine,
which has been shown to boost mood in a way similar to that of
tryptophan, which your body converts to serotonin.
Theobromine, meanwhile, has effects similar to that of caffeine, but
without the jitteriness. Cacao is also rich in important minerals such
as magnesium,
which promotes muscle relaxation and is needed for bone health, iron
for red blood cell production, and zinc, needed for cell renewal.
Just be careful and avoid the mistake I made. I assumed since cacao
is so wonderful you can take it every day without a break. I used raw
cacao nibs in my smoothie for the better part of a year and developed a
sensitivity to it. It is best to take a few days off a week so you
don't develop a sensitivity.
Dark Chocolate Supports Brain Health
Most recently, human trial data from Loma Linda University,
presented at the Experimental Biology 2018 annual meeting in San Diego,
reveal chocolate helps improve stress levels, inflammation, mood,
memory and immune function. The caveat? It has to contain at least 70
percent cacao and be sweetened with organic cane sugar. According to
Loma Linda University:4
"While it is well-known that cacao is a major source of
flavonoids, this is the first time the effect has been studied in human
subjects to determine how it can support cognitive, endocrine and
cardiovascular health … These studies show us that the higher the
concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition,
memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects."
In the first study, 70 percent cacao chocolate consumption was
associated with upregulation of several intracellular signaling
pathways that are involved in the activation of T-cells, the cellular
immune response, and genes involved in the signaling between brain
cells and sensory perception. In other words, not only was it found to
improve immune function, but dark chocolate may also boost brain
plasticity, improving your ability to learn, process and remember new
information.
In the second study, which used 70 percent organic cacao chocolate,
they assessed the brain's response to eating 48 grams of dark chocolate
using electroencephalography (EEG); first 30 minutes after, and then
two hours after. As in the first trial, the dark chocolate was found to
enhance neuroplasticity.
Bitter Chocolate Is a Sweet Treat for Your Heart
A number of other studies have confirmed cacao can benefit your
heart, blood vessels, brain and nervous system, and helps combat diabetes and other conditions rooted in inflammation. As noted in a paper5 published in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity:
"Cocoa contains about 380 known chemicals, 10 of which are
psychoactive compounds … Cocoa has more phenolics and higher
antioxidant capacity than green tea, black tea, or red wine … The
phenolics from cocoa may … protect against diseases in which oxidative
stress is implicated as a causal or contributing factor, such as
cancer. They also have antiproliferative, antimutagenic, and
chemoprotective effects, in addition to their anticariogenic effects."
One 2012 meta-analysis6 found that eating chocolate could slash your risk of cardiovascular disease by 37 percent and your stroke risk by 29 percent. Another meta-analysis7
published that same year found that cocoa/chocolate lowered insulin
resistance, reduced blood pressure, increased blood vessel elasticity,
and slightly reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
A 2015 study8
published in the journal Heart — which also included a systematic
review of nine other studies — also found a correlation between
chocolate consumption and a lower risk for cardiac events and stroke.
The initial analysis included data from nearly 21,000 men and women and
had a median follow-up of nearly 12 years. According to the authors:
"The percentage of participants with coronary heart disease
(CHD) in the highest and lowest quintile of chocolate consumption was
9.7 percent and 13.8 percent, and the respective rates for stroke were
3.1 percent and 5.4 percent … A total of nine studies with 157 809
participants were included in the meta-analysis.
Higher compared to lower chocolate consumption was associated with
significantly lower CHD risk … stroke … composite cardiovascular
adverse outcome … and cardiovascular mortality …
Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is
associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events, although
residual confounding cannot be excluded. There does not appear to be
any evidence to say that chocolate should be avoided in those who are
concerned about cardiovascular risk."
Flavonol-Rich Foods Can Be Beneficial for Diabetics
Polyphenol-rich cacao can also be beneficial for diabetics. In one study,9 patients consuming 100 grams of dark chocolate for 15 days showed decreased insulin resistance.
In another, high-flavonol instant cocoa powder was found to lower the
risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetics when consumed three times a
day.10 After one month, their blood vessel function was brought from severely impaired to normal.
In fact, the improvement "was as large as has been observed with
exercise and many common diabetic medications," according to the
authors, who believe the vascular improvement is largely caused by
increased production of nitric oxide,
which relaxes your blood vessels. It's worth noting that the cocoa
beverage used here contained much higher amounts of flavonols (321
milligrams per serving) than what you'll find in your local grocery
store.
As noted by lead author Malte Kelm, professor and chairman of
cardiology, pulmonology and vascular medicine at the University Hospital
Aachen in Germany, "The take-home message of the study is not that
people with diabetes should guzzle cocoa but, rather, that dietary
flavanols hold promise as a way to prevent heart disease."11
"Patients with Type 2 diabetes can certainly find ways to fit
chocolate into a healthy lifestyle, but this study is not about
chocolate, and it's not about urging those with diabetes to eat more
chocolate. This research focuses on what's at the true heart of the
discussion on 'healthy chocolate' — it's about cocoa flavanols, the
naturally occurring compounds in cocoa.
While more research is needed, our results demonstrate that
dietary flavanols might have an important impact as part of a healthy
diet in the prevention of cardiovascular complications in diabetic
patients."
Cocoa Benefits Mood
As mentioned, cocoa also contains chemical compounds shown to boost mood. One study,12 published in 2013, found the polyphenols in cocoa (a dark chocolate drink mix) helped reduce anxiety and induce a sense of calm when consumed daily for one month.
Participants received a cocoa drink standardized to contain either
500 milligrams or 250 milligrams of polyphenols, or a placebo drink with
no polyphenol content. After 30 days, those receiving the highest dose
reported significantly increased calmness and centeredness, compared
to the placebo group. Those receiving the lower dose (250 milligrams)
did not experience any significant effects.
The Difference Between Healthy and Unhealthy Chocolate
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While there's plenty of science vouching for the health benefits of dark chocolate,
it's important to realize that none of these benefits are transferable
to milk chocolate, which is what most people crave. As a general rule,
the darker the chocolate, meaning the more cacao it contains, the more
flavanols it contains, and this is the primary source of its health
benefits.
Milk chocolate, which is low in cacao and high in milk and sugar, has
little redeeming value and will only promote insulin resistance and
related ailments. Additionally, the standard manufacturing process of
milk chocolate destroys about one-quarter to one-half of the available
antioxidants, thereby diminishing its benefits even further.
So, while you'd be better off getting your antioxidants from fruits,
berries and vegetables, should you decide to indulge in chocolate, I
recommend restricting your intake to dark, organic chocolate, which
contains the most flavanols, and avoid milk chocolate. Your best option
would be raw cacao nibs, which are relatively bitter since they
contain no added sugar.
Additionally, consume chocolate in moderation, even the dark kind,
and avoid even dark chocolate if you're struggling with serious disease
such as cancer, which feeds on sugars.
How Cocoa Beans Are Transformed Into Chocolate
Last but not least, you may be curious as to how chocolate is made.
The International Cocoa Organization offers the following summary of
the 14-step process required to turn cacao beans into a mouth-savoring
treat:13
Step 1. The cacao beans are cleaned to remove all extraneous material.
Step 2. To bring out the
chocolate flavor and color, the beans are roasted. The temperature,
time and degree of moisture involved in roasting depend on the type
of beans used and the sort of chocolate or product desired.
Step 3. A winnowing machine is used to remove the shells from the beans to leave just the cocoa nibs.
Step 4. The cocoa nibs undergo alkalization, usually with potassium carbonate, to develop the flavor and color.
Step 5. The nibs are then
milled to create cocoa liquor (cocoa particles suspended in cocoa
butter). The temperature and degree of milling varies according to
the type of nib used and the final product being made.
Step 6. Manufacturers generally
use more than one type of bean in their products and therefore the
different beans have to be blended together to the required formula.
Step 7. The cocoa liquor is
pressed to extract the cocoa butter, leaving a solid mass called
cocoa presscake. The amount of butter extracted from the liquor is
controlled by the manufacturer to produce presscake with different
proportions of fat.
Step 8. The processing now
takes two different directions: The cocoa butter is used in the
manufacture of chocolate, while the cocoa presscake is broken into
small pieces to form kibbled presscake, which is then pulverized to
form cocoa powder.
Step 9. Cocoa liquor is used to
produce chocolate through the addition of cocoa butter. Other
ingredients such as sugar, milk, emulsifying agents and cocoa butter
equivalents are also added and mixed. The proportions of the
different ingredients depend on the type of chocolate being made.
Step 10. The mixture then
undergoes a refining process by traveling through a series of rollers
until a smooth paste is formed. Refining improves the texture of the
chocolate.
Step 11. The next process,
conching, further develops flavor and texture. Conching is a kneading
or smoothing process. The speed, duration and temperature of the
kneading affect the flavor. An alternative to conching is an
emulsifying process using a machine that works like an egg beater.
Step 12. The mixture is then
tempered or passed through a heating, cooling and reheating
process. This prevents discoloration and fat bloom in the product by
preventing certain crystalline formations of cocoa butter developing.
Step 13. The mixture is then put into molds or used for enrobing fillings and cooled in a cooling chamber.
Step 14. Lastly, the chocolate is packaged for distribution.
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