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Why chocolate is good for your heart

      Washington: Scientists have finally been able to zero in on specific compounds, present in cocoa, which are beneficial to cardiovascular health. This new study identifies the flavanol, (-)epicatechin, as one of the bioactive nutrients in cocoa that can improve the ability of blood vessels to relax. An international team of scientists from the University of Dusseldorf, Germany; the University of California, Davis; Mars, Incorporated; and Harvard Medical School conducted a series of studies examining the role of specific cocoa flavanols in cardiovascular health. "Applying accepted causality criteria and gold standard methodologies, we have been able to advance our understanding of the relationship between the intake of certain flavanols present in cocoa, their absorption into the circulation, and their effects on cardiovascular function," said lead author Hagen Schroeter, PhD, faculty member at the University of California, Davis. "This study established direct evidence for the effect of the flavanol(-)epicatechin as a mediator of blood vessel relaxation," he added. To provide direct evidence for the specific flavanol in cocoa that is partly responsible for the circulatory benefits, the research team conducted a "proof-of-concept" study. During this part of the investigation, participants drank either a placebo or a beverage containing isolated, cocoa-derived (-)epicatechin.

     The researchers demonstrated that the group of participants receiving the (-)epicatechin had vessel relaxation and nitric oxide responses similar to those experienced following the consumption of the flavanol-rich cocoa drink. Based on these findings, the investigators concluded that (-)epicatechin is one of the active nutrients in certain cocoas exerting the observed vascular benefits. (-)Epicatechin, a nutrient that may be found in certain fruit and vegetables, green teas, red wine and purple grape juice, is especially abundant in certain cocoas. "This new insight into the bioactivity of flavanol nutrients is an important piece of information that will help us understand why diets rich in fruits and vegetables promote cardiovascular health," said co-author Carl L. Keen, PhD, professor of nutrition and internal medicine at the University of California, Davis.
-Jan 17,  2006