Can Dark Chocolate Help Lower Cholesterol Levels?
Meta Description. Chocolate is high in flavonoids and polyphenols: two powerful antioxidants that have the ability to alter certain mechanisms of cardiovascular disease.
A delicious, irresistible treat? Yes, chocolate is good for the heart. That’s what scientists are saying. But be aware that not all chocolate is good for you. Only dark chocolate, which contains 60 to 70 percent cocoa, may have beneficial properties that protect heart health. Some recent scientific studies have shown that eating small amounts of dark chocolate daily can lower blood pressure, protect cardiovascular health and improve blood cholesterol levels. The more cacao you have, the more benefits you get.
Why Is Chocolate So Good For The Heart?
Because chocolate contains high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols.
The flavonoids in dark chocolate, which are also abundant in vegetables, seeds, fruits and beverages such as wine and beer, promote healthy circulation and flexible arteries, while the polyphenols in chocolate reduce the risk of inflammation and atherosclerosis, the cause of coronary heart disease. Reduces.
Improves Blood Vessel Tone
According to a modest Dutch study, this sweet treat helps restore arterial elasticity, the tone of blood vessels and the degree of vasoconstriction, thereby lowering blood pressure levels. It also regulates the inflammatory and immune response of the blood vessel wall, which is altered in cardiovascular disease.
Reduces Platelet Aggregation
It prevents the tendency of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the blood to adhere to the blood vessel wall (endothelium), i.e. platelet aggregation to form blood clots. It is well known that atherosclerosis and platelet aggregation are factors that play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis.
Cholesterol Control
Other studies, although few in number, have shown the effects of dark chocolate consumption on blood cholesterol levels. Researchers at the University of San Diego have shown that dark chocolate, especially dark chocolate containing more than 60% cocoa, can lower cholesterol levels. The reason? Once again, it’s because of its high flavonoid content.
As a result, those who consumed dark chocolate had lower blood sugar levels and higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and “good” cholesterol (HDL) compared to participants who drank more white chocolate. Scientists believe that dark chocolate may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving glucose levels and blood lipid profiles.
Reduces Inflammation
According to a preliminary study by Louisiana State University (LSU), dark chocolate appears to be a feast for the “good bacteria” in our stomachs. This feast also has great consequences for our blood vessels, as verified by researchers studying the effects of cocoa powder on the digestive tract. They found that certain intestinal microbes produce heart-healthy anti-inflammatory compounds during the growth and fermentation of chocolate.
The researchers concluded that chocolate is a treat for good microbes in the intestinal flora, such as bifid bacteria and lactobacilli.” When these compounds are absorbed by the body, they reduce inflammation in cardiovascular tissue and lower long-term risk,” explained John Finley, head of the study and a professor in the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University. Bad cocci and E. coli are associated with inflammation, which can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, while “bad cocci and E. coli reduce inflammation in cardiovascular tissue.” .
Scientists believe that if dark chocolate is also accompanied by solid fruits such as pomegranate, the party is encouraged.
Lower Blood Pressure
Some studies have also shown that chocolate consumption helps measure blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Do You Like Chocolate?
As you can see, there are many cardiovascular benefits to eating dark chocolate. Not only is it lower in sugar than low-fat cocoa, but it is also rich in antioxidants. Of course, it’s easy to increase your intake of saturated fat, sugar and calories, so be sure to consume it in moderation, as long as you don’t exceed the recommended 50 or 70 grams per day to ensure the benefits.
Chocolate is a nutritious and healthy food with great benefits for heart health. In fact, did you know that it is good for lowering cholesterol? Let’s find out why.
Hypercholesterolemia is on the rise in men and women of all ages, especially considering the increase in obesity in children and adolescents. So what is high cholesterol? It is a condition that results from the accumulation of lipids and fats in all the arteries and veins of our body, and it can have a very negative impact on our health.
It can lead to other more serious cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and heart attacks. In this case, the best thing we can do to avoid high cholesterol is to have a balanced and healthy diet with a variety of vitamins and minerals, which are abundant in vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish.
In this regard, we must increase our daily and consistent physical activity, which will help to improve our quality of life, as well as conserve our figure, our blood, and ultimately lower our cholesterol levels. However, it is also important to note that there are various foods that can help us reduce and prevent this disease. Among them are the following
- Soy milk. This food contains a variety of essential amino acids that can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, also known as flavonoids.
- Olive oil. The Mediterranean diet would not be possible without this delicious and healthy “liquid gold”. It is important to note that olive oil also contains powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols, which help lower LDL cholesterol.
- Chocolate is more than just an explosion of sweetness in your mouth. It also has all kinds of benefits for our bodies and can help us fight stress and anxiety. To these, we must add the benefit of lowering blood cholesterol. Here’s why.
How Does Chocolate Help Lower Blood Cholesterol?
Everyone probably thinks that chocolate has the biggest negative impact on blood cholesterol levels because of its high sugar content. In fact, just 100 grams of chocolate can reveal more than 500 calories intake, mainly due to the presence of fat in the production of this cocoa sugar.
However, there are some data that are cause for optimism. One-third of these fats present in chocolate contains the so-called stearic acid, a component that has a direct effect on lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, it should be noted that chocolate contains high levels of monounsaturated oleic acid, which also significantly lowers what is commonly known as LDL (or bad) cholesterol.
In conclusion, it is concluded that these two acids not only lower blood cholesterol levels but also have antioxidant properties that can help prevent the formation of blood clots in veins and arteries and prevent certain diseases such as atherosclerosis.
We hope you have realized the great benefits of consuming chocolate. However, do not be too spoiled by its consumption. And from here on, we recommend that you do not consume more than 40 grams per day so as not to neglect our figure and always choose dark chocolate. From here on, be “prepared” and enjoy chocolate in a healthy and delicious way.
Facts To Consider About Chocolate
You need to know that not all chocolate is worth it. Of course, you must eat less of it.
The higher the purity of the chocolate, the higher its cocoa content and the more potent and useful it is, so it is recommended to choose dark chocolate.
