Dark Chocolate Helps Lower Blood Pressure in Liver Patients

[FarCenter]

By Michelle Fay Cortez and Naomi Kresge

April 15 (Bloomberg) -- Dark chocolate may be just what the doctor ordered for patients with damaged livers.

A Spanish study found chocolate can help lower blood pressure in the liver and reduce damage to blood vessels in people with cirrhosis, a potentially fatal scarring of the liver that can lead to organ failure and cancer. Only antioxidant-rich dark chocolate is helpful, researchers said in a study presented today at the International Liver Conference in Vienna.

Doctors compared white with dark chocolate as part of liquid meals given to a group of 21 patients with end-stage liver disease. They recorded a much smaller increase in blood pressure after meals for the group that ate dark chocolate. Cocoa is packed with flavonoids, plant pigments that act as potent antioxidants, which are credited in other studies with improving circulation in obese people and warding off heart disease in smokers.

The findings aren’t a license to indulge, especially in candies that are high in sugar, said Heiner Wedemeyer, secretary general of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, which hosts the meeting. The researchers used chocolate that was 85 percent cocoa.

“Sugar is not good for the liver," he said. "You have to get the good-quality chocolate.”

<SNIP>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=a_8O.NpON3T4

[supernova]

1. My understanding is

dark chocolate helps restore elasticity to blood vessels. If you don't have a problem, well it helps keep them supple.

[liberal N proud]

2. My blood pressure should be really low

We love to get the good stuff.

[Romulox]

3. 85% cacao can tend toward a *tad* bitter...

It's hard for me to believe that the only sort of chocolate that is good for a person is the sort favored by Continental Europeans. Perhaps so, but too convenient by half, if you ask me.

[supernova]

4. Dark chocolate tastes

more like food rather than candy to me, if that makes sense. I find that I eat much less of the good stuff in order to satisfy my choc habit, than I do with say M&Ms. I seriously don't want more than about an ounce of dark.


Anything in the 70% cacao and above range is considered good for the health benefits, but the darker the better certainly.

Damn, makes me want mole for dinner. :9


edit: http://www.realage.com/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/health-benefits-of-chocolate

[Romulox]

6. I have half of a Ritter Sport "dark chocolate with hazelnuts" here...

It doesn't state the percentage of cacao (I thought EU required this?) but there is no way it's close to 85%. Still, it's quite tasty, and 25 grams (1/4 of the bar--slightly less than 1 oz.) is quite satisfying to this chocoholic.

[supernova]

8. OMG! That's my fave candy bar!

Ritter Sport Dark Choc with hazelnuts!!


:9 :9 :9 :9

I'm so jealous!!

Enjoy. :D

[Romulox]

12. My fave is actually corn flakes. But they're all damn good! nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. 50% cocoa, in the chocolate

http://www.ritter-sport.com/#/en_GB/product/100g_dark_whole_hazelnuts/

[Romulox]

13. I suppose I shall have to eat two sections in order to get the required cocoa!

It's a sacrifice I am prepared to make. :)

[JerseygirlCT]

14. That's all?

That makes it easy. I find 60% the easiest - most candy-like, if you will. I still love 70%, but it IS a bit bitter.

But I also agree with the others - a little of the good stuff (that is, dark) goes much further. And once you get used to dark chocolate, the milk stuff starts to taste sort of greasy.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. Clealry, the idea is to reduce the amount of sugar and increse the amount of dark chocolet...

Not a bad idea.

[myrna minx]

7. Finally - something that I love to indulge in is actually good for me.

I love dark chocolate!

[Aristus]

9. Just one element in Polymeal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymeal

[supernova]

10. Thanks, Didn't know there was a name

for the way I'm trying to eat.

[Aristus]

15. Polymeal, the Endocrinologist's friend...

;-)