Cocoa Might be Good for the Heart
New research is suggesting that adding cocoa to one’s daily diet may be good for the heart. Spanish researchers put 42 men and women on a diet that included 40 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1.4 ounces) mixed with skim milk daily, or plain skim milk. After one month, those who drank the cocoa-flavored milk had lower levels of inflammatory markers associated with heart disease than those drinking the milk alone, states Health News.
Inflammatory markers, called adhesion molecules, are proteins that cause white blood cells to stick to the walls of the arteries. The participants consisted of people were the average age 70 and were at risk for developing heart disease because of other factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or a family history of early coronary heart disease.
The researchers also found that the cocoa powder group had an increase in HDL cholesterol, which can help reduce levels of LDL cholesterol and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties.
Nevertheless, Health News writes that before you start inhaling candy bars, which are high in fat and calories, researchers noted that study participants were given non-fat, sugar-free cocoa powder and skim milk. Even then, they gained a small amount of weight.
To read the whole report, visit NorthShore University HealthSystem’s News Section.
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