Chocolate of the super guilt free variety

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Quentin Grady - 30 Apr 2008 18:40 GMT

G'day G'day Folks,

Manufacturers have been quick to seize the niche market provided by
shoppers looking for heart healthy chocolate. Here is one such
example. The article makes some interesting comments on sponsorship
of research. To read the article you'll need to subscribe to
Medscape but it is free and they are well behaved with your details.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573408_print

Chocolate is a good source of magnesium. T2 diabetics are often
deficient in magnesium especially if they are prescribe Metformin.

It would interesting to see more than the abstract so we can evaluate
the triglyceride:HDL ratio to see if that is improved by regular
ingestion of the chocolate.

Best wishes,

Signature

Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin

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Bill Hileman - 30 Apr 2008 21:24 GMT

> G'day G'day Folks,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> the triglyceride:HDL ratio to see if that is improved by regular
> ingestion of the chocolate.

Alas, if only I could convince my doctor to prescribe chocolate.

That's one medicine I wouldn't mind taking.

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Alan S - 30 Apr 2008 23:54 GMT

>G'day G'day Folks,
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
>Best wishes,

Original abstract here (same as the one in the Medscape
link, but with additional links to the paid full text):

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/138/4/725

"Daily Consumption of a Dark Chocolate Containing Flavanols
and Added Sterol Esters Affects Cardiovascular Risk Factors
in a Normotensive Population with Elevated Cholesterol1,2
Robin R. Allen3,*, LeaAnn Carson3, Catherine Kwik-Uribe5,
Ellen M. Evans4 and John W. Erdman, Jr3

3 Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University
of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and 4 Department of
Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois,
Urbana, IL 61801 and 5 Mars Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 07840

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
roballen@uiuc.edu.

Previous studies with plant sterols (PS) and cocoa flavanols
(CF) provide support for their dietary use in maintaining
cardiovascular health. This double-blind,
placebo-controlled, cross-over study evaluated the efficacy
of daily consumption of a cocoa flavanol-containing dark
chocolate bar with added PS on serum lipids, blood pressure,
and other circulating cardiovascular health markers in a
population with elevated serum cholesterol.

We recruited 49 adults (32 women, 17 men) with serum total
cholesterol concentrations of 5.20–7.28 mmol/L and blood
pressure of ?159/99 mm Hg. Following a 2-wk lead-in
utilizing the AHA style diet, participants were randomized
into 2 groups and instructed to consume 2 cocoa
flavanol-containing dark chocolate bars per day with (1.1 g
sterol esters per bar) or without PS. Each 419-kJ bar was
nutrient-matched and contained ~180 mg CF.

Participants consumed 1 bar 2 times per day for 4 wk then
switched to the other bar for an additional 4 wk. Serum
lipids and other cardiovascular markers were measured at
baseline and after 4 and 8 wk. Blood pressure was measured
every 2 wk. Regular consumption of the PS-containing
chocolate bar resulted in reductions of 2.0 and 5.3% in
serum total and LDL cholesterol (P < 0.05), respectively.

Consumption of CF also reduced systolic blood pressure at 8
wk (–5.8 mm Hg; P < 0.05). Results indicate that regular
consumption of chocolate bars containing PS and CF as part
of a low-fat diet may support cardiovascular health by
lowering cholesterol and improving blood pressure."

Which, unfortunately, doesn't answer your question.

A little checking on google scholar finds that Erdman has
written several papers on chocolate over many years.

Full text is available with payment here:
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/138/4/725

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Latest:Is Testing Worthwhile?
and Cambodia
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/2008/03/cambodia.html

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Quentin Grady - 01 May 2008 00:27 GMT

>>G'day G'day Folks,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 75 lines]
>
>Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.

G'day G'day Alan,

Although the decreases in cholesterol were significant they don't
appear to my way of thinking to be large. Some people here would
appear to achieve much greater changes by improving their diet and
increasing the amount of exercise they routinely do.

I looked at the possibility of down loading the full text but was put
off by the $20 US fee. Not worth it I figured given the very small
percentage changes and the fact that the chocolate isn't yet available
here.

Thanks and best wishes,

Signature

Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin

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Alan S - 01 May 2008 00:32 GMT

>G'day G'day Alan,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
>Thanks and best wishes,

Since chocolate was first mentioned here in various posts
and cites some years ago I have enjoyed a square or two (not
a block) of 70% or 85% most evenings as a treat in the
evenings.

I have no idea whether that had an effect on my numbers; but
I'll keep doing it:-)

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Latest:Is Testing Worthwhile?
and Cambodia
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/2008/03/cambodia.html

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dumb_fishie99 - 01 May 2008 00:32 GMT

> G'day G'day Folks,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Chocolate is a good source of magnesium. T2 diabetics are often
> deficient in magnesium especially if they are prescribe Metformin.

ewhat??? metformin depletes magnesium? Holy crap!!

I have to get a clipboard going, and a checklist, holy crapola.

> It would interesting to see more than the abstract so we can evaluate
> the triglyceride:HDL ratio to see if that is improved by regular
> ingestion of the chocolate.

my b/f eats that super dark chocolate in front of me, for breakfast
even. What a booger.

DF

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