JEEDA'S LOVE AND PASSION: BENEFITS OF DRINKING HOT CHOCOLATE

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

BENEFITS OF DRINKING HOT CHOCOLATE

Memory loss and dementia are major fears for aging adults, but a new study suggests a sweet way to stave off those brain woes: Drinking hot cocoa daily. Brain imaging showed cocoa-drinkers had better blood flow in the brain. Studies have linked consuming chocolate -- often dark -- to reduced blood pressure, lower risk for stroke, better cholesterol levels and even benefits in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition in which people have difficulties with memory and are at raised risk for dementia and Alzheimer's.

NOS.	RESEARCH	INFORMATION
1	Published in the Aug. 7 online issue of the journal Neurology (the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology)	The study involved a group of people with an average age of 73 over the course of 30 days. None had dementia, but 18 of the participants had impaired blood flow at the start of the study. Most of the participants had high blood pressure and were overweight or obese, and about half had well-controlled Type 2 diabetes. Each study participant drank two cups of hot cocoa per day. That was their only source of chocolate during that time. The participants took memory and thinking skills tests, and ultrasounds tests to measure the amount of blood flow to the brain during the tests. Among the results of the study: Those who suffered from impaired blood flow showed a slight improvement in the blood flow to the working areas of the brain by the end of the study. That same population also improved their times on a test of working memory. *Participants who started the study with normal blood flow to their brains saw no changes.

Chocolate is rich in antioxidants which help prevent cardiovascular disease and help the body fight against free radicals that can damage cells. Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, which are compounds produced by plants that have been shown to have health benefits. Flavonoids reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing blood pressure and improving blood vessels. Consuming foods that are high in flavonoids reduces inflammation and help prevent insulin resistance, which can decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Hot chocolate is a heated beverage made from shaved chocolate, melted chocolate buds, or cocoa powder mixed with sugar and heated milk or water. Cocoa in its raw form has four times the antioxidants as processed cocoa. It is available at health foods stores and will taste bitter, but you can add sugar or honey to sweeten it. The general rules when looking for cocoa powder are:

· The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants it contains.

· The higher cocoa content, the more antioxidants it contains.

· The less sugar, the better it is for your overall health.

Research continues to show us that antioxidants help prevent cancer, heart disease, age-related macular degeneration and aging in general because they fight free-radicals in the body. The trendy so-called super foods are the ones bursting with antioxidants — acai, goji berries, blueberries and pomegranate have become the super-food darlings. Antioxidants come in surprising forms too, like in vehicles once considered more vice than health food, such as coffee, red wine, and yes, chocolate. Chocolate, especially in the form of hot cocoa, shines through:

1. According to a study conducted at Cornell University, the antioxidant concentration in hot cocoa is two to three times stronger than that of green tea and four to five times stronger than that of black tea.

2. Professor Chang Yong Lee, the leader of the Cornell study, added that the "hot" in "hot chocolate" is important as well. More antioxidants are released when it's heated up.

3. A cup of hot cocoa contains 611 milligrams of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents (ECE). The antioxidant gallic acid is used to treat internal hemorrhages, albuminuria (the presence of albumin in the urine, which can indicate kidney disease) and diabetes.

4. The flavonoids help your body process nitric oxide, which is why hot cocoa can improve blood flow, help lower your blood pressure and improve heart health.

5. The flavonoids in hot chocolate also help prevent platelets in your blood from mingling together and forming clots.

6. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, drinking hot chocolate can help you think better too. The flavonoids increase the blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Since dementia is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the brain, researchers think it could be treated with cocoa.

Chocolate in general contains saturated fat and sugar,

So remember that moderation is the key.