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!

Nutrition Advice

For more benefits of a well balanced diet, healthier lifestyle and the potential of tea drinking, come and visit me at my clinic and see what positive changes maybe suitable for you.

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Oranges. The Whole greater than the Sum of it's parts!

I take it all of you enjoyed those wonderfully nutritious and beneficial stocking fillers on Christmas Day!
For some of us it was the only thing in our Christmas stocking (weep), but the humble Orange packs a mighty punch, and according to recent research, no amount Vitamin C powder, tablet or whatever supplement form gets dreamt up, can in the end replace the simple, peeling, eating, juicing, squeezing of this natural wonder.

An Orange is NOT just for Christmas!

Researchers have been looking why the WHOLE is so much better for you than it's components when taken separately. That would be the 'sum of it's parts' bit then! 

In essence, researchers are looking at the benefits of supplementation that contains vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances as close to their original food state as possible, which would hopefully have a greater benefit to health than what already exists in the wider market.
For the Orange that would be to capture the best benefits of peeling and eating an Orange, as well as drinking the squeezed juice.

Eat whole, fruit salad, juice, smoothie!!

The team at Brigham Young University, Utah, USA, have been considering what it is in the nature and structure of the Orange that makes it so much better than current Vitamin C supplementation, BYU assistant professor of nutrition, dietetics and food science, Tory Parker:


"There's something about an orange that's better than taking a vitamin C capsule, and that's really what we're trying to figure out. We think it's the particular mixture of antioxidants in an orange that makes it so good for you."

 
Once reserved for special occasions in medieval times due to their expensive nature, and then becoming a staple for the contents of the Christmas Stocking ever since the reign of Queen Victoria, the Orange is now very much affordable and available and one of the most popular and most used fruits in the world.

Not only providing excellent levels of Vitamin C, but also dietary Fibre, Folate, energy producing Vitamin B1 and Calcium amongst other Vitamins and minerals, Oranges also contain more than 60 Flavonoids that provide a powerful anti-inflammatory/antioxidant effect by interacting with Vitamin C and hopefully providing protection against oxidative damage to cell structures, including DNA.

Foods or Supplements.Can they both be effective?

What previous studies have shown prior to BYU's work has suggested that Vitamin C are more readily absorbed when consumed together with other biological active Flavonoids or Phytonutrients contained in citrus fruits than when taken singly as maybe the case with supplement form.
BYU research wanted to look at the large combinations of antioxidants found in the orange at the same proportions they occur naturally with significant results-

"Cases where the effect of two or more antioxidants together was stronger than the sum of them separately."

 
Identifying combinations of antioxidants found not only in Oranges, but also in Blueberries and Strawberries the University team were able to identify specific compounds within the fruit, for instance in Oranges, hesperidin which has been shown to lower high blood pressure as well as Cholesterol in animal studies, and naringenin that together when working with Vitamin C provide the greatest antioxidant punch and hence potential benefit to health.


Whilst the best antioxidant mixtures are further studied and developed by commited teams such as those led by head author Brenner Freeman and Tory Parker at BYU, one thing is for sure, as l point out to my patients and will always hopefully portray in these articles, eating the healthy, hopefully Organic (or well washed) fruit will be more beneficial to the majority than the parts that make up the supplement!

Journal Reference:

1. Brenner L. Freeman, Dennis L. Eggett, Tory L. Parker. Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions of Phenolic Compounds Found in Navel Oranges.Journal of Food Science, 2010; 75 (6): C570 DOI : 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01717.x

And though l don't calorie count...at just 62 Calories, what better food as part of a well balanced diet could there be!

Find fruits your enjoy-make up a fruit salad on the weekends for the days ahead!

Get Fit and Healthy in 2011

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Introductory offers January - March 25% off.
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Greenwich
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