TY - JOUR
T1 - Dark chocolate
T2 - consumption for pleasure or therapy?
AU - Lippi, Giuseppe
AU - Franchini, Massimo
AU - Montagnana, Martina
AU - Favaloro, Emmanuel J
AU - Guidi, Gian Cesare
AU - Targher, Giovanni
PY - 2009/11
Y1 - 2009/11
N2 - Traditional chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean, which is one of the most concentrated sources of flavanols, a subgroup of the natural antioxidant plant compounds called flavonoids. Accumulating evidence from the past 10 years demonstrates that moderate consumption of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may exert protective effects against the development of cardiovascular disease. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this positive influence, including metabolic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic effects, as well as effects on insulin sensitivity and vascular endothelial function. Should these results be confirmed in randomised, controlled, cross-over, multi-dose trials, then the pleasure associated with chocolate consumption might also be justified from health and psychological perspectives. However, since dark chocolate has substantially higher levels of flavonoids than milk chocolate, and milk proteins may inhibit absorption of flavonoids, it might be preferable to consume dark chocolate than the white (milk) variety.
AB - Traditional chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean, which is one of the most concentrated sources of flavanols, a subgroup of the natural antioxidant plant compounds called flavonoids. Accumulating evidence from the past 10 years demonstrates that moderate consumption of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may exert protective effects against the development of cardiovascular disease. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this positive influence, including metabolic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic effects, as well as effects on insulin sensitivity and vascular endothelial function. Should these results be confirmed in randomised, controlled, cross-over, multi-dose trials, then the pleasure associated with chocolate consumption might also be justified from health and psychological perspectives. However, since dark chocolate has substantially higher levels of flavonoids than milk chocolate, and milk proteins may inhibit absorption of flavonoids, it might be preferable to consume dark chocolate than the white (milk) variety.
KW - Animals
KW - Antioxidants/administration & dosage
KW - Cacao/metabolism
KW - Candy
KW - Cardiovascular Diseases/metabolism
KW - Flavonoids/administration & dosage
KW - Humans
KW - Pleasure
U2 - 10.1007/s11239-008-0273-3
DO - 10.1007/s11239-008-0273-3
M3 - Review article
C2 - 18827977
SN - 0929-5305
VL - 28
SP - 482
EP - 488
JO - Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
JF - Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
IS - 4
ER -