Chocolate and Your Health: Good or bad?

Could Chocolate's Good rap be the Best Health News Ever?



Patients tell me that Easter is a favourite time for them as it's ok to have chocolate.

They seemed shocked and surprised when l tell that most days of the year are my favourite because they involve chocolate is some form or other. Truly one of my favourite subjects, and not just for Easter, and as part of a well balanced diet with good amounts of exercise each day, then some chocolate, especially dark chocolate may just be what some of us need and not have to feel too guilty about consuming.

With extensive world wide research in recent years looking into to the potential benefits of the cocoa bean and resulting product, chocolate having thrown up very interesting results, the euphoria surrounding this may well be justified, as has been highlighted already in 2012.

I was heartened (excuse the pun) by a study from Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in the US, where Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Julie Damp, M.D and he team looked further into previous research of the heart health benefits of Dark Chocolate  and it's potential antioxidant affect of it's Flavonoids being good for heart health, which are also similarly present in Red Wine.

The research team in this instance back up a previous report from January this year from Susan Ofria, a registered Dietitian at the Loyola University Health System’s Melrose Park Campus, that looked specifically at the active component in Chocolate and Red Wine, Resveratrol, that provides that antioxidant potential and the benefits for health, such as in heart health.

Dark Chocolate may hold potential benefits to heart health

Dark Chocolate with a Cocoa content higher than 70% (I prefer to get my hands some amazing 85% chocolate) contains the beneficial levels of Resveratrol that may be beneficial to health as part of a well balanced diet and active lifestyle,  and is associated with lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels and according to these reports "improvement in the way your blood vessels dilate and relax," all with the potential to assist with health in the right circumstances.

As highlighted previously in this blog, scientific research has pinpointed Resveratrol for it's potential anti cancer abilities, prevents age related impairment, have a positive impact on obesity, it's anti-inflammatory, antioxidants affect that can at the same time increase blood flow and overall further reduce the risk of Cardio vascular disease (CVD), and may have potential benefits in regards Metabolic syndrome and dark chocolate and cocoa can now be added to the products that contain the naturally occurring antioxidant.

Further chocolate benefits studies have similarly suggested the potential for health in a well balanced diet, firstly, chocolate and heart health as highlighted by Dr Oscar Franco and colleagues from the University of Cambridge carried out a large scale review of the existing evidence to evaluate the effects of eating chocolate on cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.

 

And before that, Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart Association, reported the work of Murrray Mittleman, M.D., Dr.P.H., lead researcher of the study at the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, where links we made to weekly chocolate consumption with higher Cocoa content, usually found in Dark chocolate, or especially in European chocolate, potentially leading to lower risk of heart failure, as Dr Mittleman highlighting what we all really know...

"You can't ignore that chocolate is a relatively calorie-dense food and large amounts of habitual consumption is going to raise your risks for weight gain,".......But if you're going to have a treat, dark chocolate is probably a good choice, as long as it's in moderation."

Which Chocolate is Best?

By all accounts from the research detailed above and much more into the antioxidant content of chocolate and any potential health benefit it may have, it's dark chocolate that comes out on top in this regard, but along with comes research from Denmark, where scientists at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) have shown that dark Chocolate may also be more filling than milk chocolate, giving a general feeling of satiety longer than milk chocolate and lessen the potential for food cravings, over-eating and consumption of too many calories.

With the calorific content the same for both milk and dark chocolate in the study, participants after the consumption of the chocolate ate significantly less in an subsequent meal and overall had less of an appetite for over eating too much on sugary, salty and fatty foods.

Dark Chocolate could reduce cravings, ease emotional stress and assist the Liver

And the potential benefits may not end there according to research highlighted in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Journal of Proteome Research, some Dark chocolate each day within a well balanced diet may help ease 'emotional stress' by a reduction in levels of stress hormones and other stress-related biochemical changes in volunteers who rated themselves as 'highly stressed' and were asked to eat dark chocolate for a two week period.

"The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 grams [1.4 ounces] during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers," 

 The beneficial Phytochemicals and Antioxidants qualities of dark Chocolate are also interesting researchers and scientists looking at the impact of Liver damage from cirrhosis and whether chocolate, especially high quality dark chocolate may help reduce damage.

The Spanish research team looked at results that showed dark chocolate consumption could

"reduce the postprandial (after-meal) blood pressure in the liver (or portal hypertension) associated with damaged liver blood vessels (endothelial dysfunction). "

 The damage done by Liver Cirrhosis can not only cause a dangerous raise of blood pressure levels in the Liver, but also elsewhere in the body leading to potential fatal consequences for health, however, Dark Chocolate consumption could provide some benefit.

Cocoa- A 'Super Fruit' ?

So with researchers and scientists alike highlighting the potential benefits of some daily consumption of dark Chocolate within a balanced diet and lifestyle on our health, some going so far to call Cocoa/chocolate a 'Super Fruit' that may be good for the heart, liver, blood pressure and our emotional state then one can start to see how great some of the 'dark stuff' may just be.

I for one shall continue to choose my Dark Chocolate well and try and enjoy some each day in between the fruits and Vegetables and the 15 minutes of exercise.

Happy eating!

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Time for a nice Cup of Tea. A national obsession well founded in Nutritional Science!

Tea anyone.......should be Tea Everyone in my eyes.

Once again another study highlights the vast nature of Tea's potential protective quality, especially Green, White Tea, however some forms of black, yellow and oolong tea all share the potential affect on long-term health.

Tea all round. Hurrah!

A team of research Scientists at Newcastle University, UK, led by Dr Ed Okello wanted to see if the protective properties of green tea -- which have previously been shown to be present in the undigested, freshly brewed form of the drink -- were still active once the tea had been digested:

"Digestion is a vital process which provides our bodies with the nutrients we need to survive. But it also means that just because the food we put into our mouths is generally accepted to contain health-boosting properties, we can't assume these compounds will ever be absorbed by the body."

From resulting digestion and activation by enzymes in the gut the key chemical in green tea were thus able to prove more affective against triggers associated not only with Alzheimer's and the development of other forms of dementia, but also potentially a role in protection against cancer when consumed along with a well balanced diet and lifestyle: Dr Okello:-


"In addition to this, we also found the digested compounds had anti-cancer properties, significantly slowing down the growth of the tumour cells which we were using in our experiments."





Green Tea, white tea and Yellow tea are particularly rich in Flavonoids such as Catechins that maybe the significant element that makes these beverages potentially important for Health.

Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG)is the most abundant Catechin in green Tea and thought to be the significant element in the tea's antioxidant effect and potential benefit to health such as with various Cancers.

One cup of green tea for example can potentially supply 20-30mg of EGCG providing the largest single quantity of antioxidant properties of all the tea's catechins.

The Polyhenols that exist in tea, black, green white and yellow have been shown in previous studies to be protective against potential damage to brain cells hence the possible benefits against the development of neurological problems such as Alzheimer's.

During research Dr Okello and his team exposed cells to varying concentrations of the different toxins and the digested green tea compounds, explaining that:

"The digested chemicals protected the cells, preventing the toxins from destroying the cells." Adding..."We also saw them affecting the cancer cells, significantly slowing down their growth."

As the good doctor and his team point out, just drinking tea of this nature is not a prerequisite to protection against destructive degenerative disease and illness such Alzheimer's, dementia and many forms of cancer. Their are many factors that influence disease, as their are many factors that potentially have a positive protective effect against such illness, well balanced diet, exercise and lifestyle influences that help reduce stress and create a positive outlook on life being part of that influence.

Journal Reference:

1. E.J. Okello, G.J. McDougall, S. Kumar, C.J. Seal. In vitro protective effects of colon-available extract of Camellia sinensis (tea) against hydrogen peroxide and beta-amyloid (Aβ(1–42)) induced cytotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells. Phytomedicine, 2010; DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.11.004

With these supportive and positive influences in place, the consumption of tea as discussed in these studies could potentially have an influence on illness and disease such as:

• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cancer, especially cancer of the Brain, prostate, cervix and bladder
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• Teeth Health 
• Type 2 Diabetes

In a well Balanced diet, Tea could be King!

My Favourite quality tea suppliers Jing, (http://jingtea.com) a supplier of fine Green, white, yellow and black teas such as oolong, from a vast variety of teas, produced commissioned tests on the antioxidant levels of their supplied tea's to look more closely at the Catechin/flavonoid (Polyphenols) levels (EGCG) and to provide the general buying public interested in the health benefits of such tea consumption as part of a balanced diet, more insight into which tea's may provide greater benefit.

Using a serving of mg/250ml serving,results with the total antioxidant levels for each tea were:

 (Taken from http://jingtea.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/jing-tea-testing-our-teas-for-antioxidants)

 

1. Pre-Rain Jun Shan Silver Needle Yellow Tea – 75.25mg EGCG/250ml serving

2. Pre-Rain Organic Dragon Well Supreme Green Tea – 64.5mg EGCG/250ml serving

3. Organic Gunpowder Supreme Green Tea – 61mg EGCG/250ml serving

4. Organic White Peony Supreme White Tea – 50.75mg EGCG/250ml serving

5. Silver Needle White Tea – 39.25mg EGCG/250ml serving

6. Big Red Robe Supreme Oolong Tea – 26.5mg EGCG/250ml serving

7. Yellow Gold Oolong Tea – 14.5mg EGCG/250ml serving

8. Assam Breakfast Black Tea – 6mg EGCG/250ml serving

Pre-Rain Dragon Well Supreme Green Tea - Very High in antioxidant EGCG levels.

More Than Just Tea

For many cultures around the world, the kind of high quality tea with the potential to provide health benefits when drunk as part of a well balanced diet as l and other researchers have been discussing also acts a pivotal point to life in general, or should that be a way of life.

In parts of India, Tibet, the Himalayas, Bhutan, but especially in China and Japan, tea, it's growing, it's farming, it's processing, it's drinking is as important as religion, and the rituals of the the Chinese or Japanese Tea ceremony especially have been an important influence to millions of people since ancient and medieval times.

Whether it is the use of ancient tea lines, species, growing area, sets of spiritual or religious rituals, ancient tools or tea wear, eqipment and mannerisms, the one overriding aspect in all Tea ceremony's is how and why certain tea's are picked, and how when loking to get the full allround benefit of the tea, how it is made.

When researching yourself and deciding on a quality tea to buy and use, take note of how the best way to prepare and make tea to best get the benefits it offers.

And why?

Well one aspect of Antioxidant quantity and quality found in green, white, black, yellow teas is that excess heat can destroy the amounts of active Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), so be mindful when making these kind of tea's......OVERHEATED WATER MAY DESTROY THE ANTIOXIDANTS!

Always good to know these things and listen to advice that has been passed on for thousand's of years!

Toodle pip!

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What do you mean Halloween has come and Gone!!!

I enjoyed writing this so much last month for production.....but no production came about.....So l decided to post it again, mainly because l was so proud of the Organic pumpkins we produced on our Co-Operative allotment in the heart of the Midlands, and the fact that l produced so much nice food and meals out of the subsequent cooking jaunt!


Foods Of the Week:  Halloween. (Ok, it's over, but lm still stuck in summer mode so give me a chance!)

Don't throw away all the flesh please

                                  
Foods of Halloween week (Autumn has almost been and gone but who cares)....could only Pumpkin and Apples...or Carving lanterns and apple bobbing if your American (lm not....No comment!)

 An apple is for life...not just for bobbing

So you have your Pumpkin lanterns at the ready and the apples ready for Bobbing...but how good are these scary but delicious foods and just how easy is it to cast the spell that turns them into wonderful healthy treats!



Pumpkins:
Coming from the Greek word "pepon", today’s Pumpkins, not just a Halloween Candle Holder, but a wonderful Seasonal vegetable for the Autumn months.

Coming in various shapes and sizes with many different varieties, Pumpkin is rich in Vitamins and Minerals, as well as possible potent antioxidants, with both the flesh and seeds nutritionally beneficial.

Low in Calories and fat, Pumpkins benefit from being rich in nutrients such as:

* Alpha-carotene (converted by the body into Vitamin A)
* Beta-carotene   (converted by the body into Vitamin A)
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin E
* Potassium
* Magnesium
* Panthothenic acid
* Manganese
* Dietry Fiber

High in nutrients but low in calories, Pumpkin's variety of nutrient benefits may act as powerful anti-inflammatory agents as well as powerful antioxidants that assist with a strong Immune system as part of a well balanced diet, while levels of Dietry Fibre help with Blood sugar control and healthy digestion

 

Pumpkin Recipes: Easy & Nutritious

Steamed Pumpkin, Pumpkin Soup and Spicy Pumpkin Stew

Steamed Pumpkin and Feta Salad:            

- Peel the outer skin of the pumpkin and removed flesh and seeds (keep seeds to one side).
- Cut up Pumpkin into 1inch squares and fill two desert bowls with Pumpkin
- Steam using electric or Bamboo/Stainless steel stove-top steamer for 7 minutes

With some lemon Juice and Organic Extra virgin olive oil, pepper and sea salt mix and make a dressing. Add crumbled feta cheese, fresh rosemary and sage to steamed Pumpkin on a bed of Rocket or Baby spinch, along with dressing for quick easy snack.
Adding fresh chilli and Turmeric to dressing can add extra Kick as well as highly beneficial extra elements to this nutritious meal.

 Soup             

-Adding steamed Pumpkin to a pan with 1-2 cups of vegetable stock, 3 Tbs of coconut milk (canned tomatoes as an alternative) and bring to the boil.
- Fresh Ginger, Turmeric, sea salt and pepper to taste
- Blend with hand blender or food processor
-Wait to bring to slight boil and well heated through and serve.

 

 

 

Spicy Stew          

-Add already Steamed Pumpkin to a pan with a chopped red onion (cut and leave onion for 5 minutes before adding), along with4-6 chopped Organic/home grown carrots- 

-Red and green Chillies 

-1 pint of water

- Tsp Cumin, Paprika and Turmeric
- 1 carton of Organic Chopped Tomatoes
- Separately Stem fry fresh prawns with olive oil and 1 Tbs of water
- Bring soup to boil and cook for 15 minutes and then Blend with mixer/processor for 1 minute
- Add cooked prawns (chicken or turkey as other options) to soup, along with carton of Organic Butter beans
- Add Organic brown Basmati rice or Spelt or Buckwheat pasta according to taste
- Cook for further 15 minutes

Enjoy!



Apples:           

Forget all those bobbing apples in the bowl of water from the ancient Celtic tradition, and most recent North American association, apples have so much more to offer.

Coming from the Latin word “Pome”, apples originate from the Rose family and are associated with Love and Fertility.
In their many different varieties of colour, shape and size, apples are rich in Flavonoid and Phenolic antioxidants as well a good source of Vitamin C.
Apples also contain good amounts of Dietry fiber for Balanced Blood sugar and healthy digestion.

Whether part of a dessert or salad, apples are a great snack being low in calories.
As a seasonal fruit especially around autumn time, and apart from bobbing at Halloween and your mothers Traditional Apple crumble, what else can this Super Fruit do!

Apple Sundae:  

-         2 Apples cut into quarters and cored, add chopped almonds and grated coconut

-         In a small bowl, add home made almond butter to 3-4 Tbs of Organic Honey

-         Drizzle almond/honey sauce over apples and chopped nuts for quick easy dessert.

Add Homemade Granola and cinnamon for something a bit different.

Breakfast apple:             

-Diced apple, Organic Natural yogurt, chopped almonds, walnuts and Pumpkin seeds, raisins and Honey. Great as a Snack taken to work!

To bake apples in the Oven will means beneficial nutrients such as Vitamins, Antioxidants and enzymes can easily be destroyed.

So keep it natural, quick and easy.

And Eat such foods anytime of the year, just replace Pumpkin if not available, with Butter nut squash and steamed sweet potato. 

Tom, Barbara, Jerry and of course Margo!

Try Growing your own on your own allotment or prepare a patch of garden...or a friends garden....just ask them first, Im not Jerry and this is not the Good Life.

It's a Great Life!                            

Enjoy!

P.S It's Christmas soon so l have been told, though l was till hoping for summer sun until the reality of shop front Christmas lights and That's What l call Christmas Music Vol. 76 playing everywhere.....

So soon will come our run up to Christmas, Good Food, good nutrition, good health that will be happy and healthy for all...

Except maybe for people like me who still wish it was Summer!