New Study Shows Reduction in Stress with 70% Cocoa Chocolate
Am I saying you should eat dark chocolate every day? No. Remember that all foods need to be enjoyed in a balanced way in moderation. Yes even on holidays!
In a 2009 study conducted in Switzerland, researchers set out to learn if dietary preferences did in fact influence human metabolism. The dietary preference focused on here was the consumption of dark chocolate and its effect on anxiety. Why did they conduct this study you ask? Well, actually Nestle Research Center in Switzerland was curious.
A clinical trial was performed on 30 people, 11 males and 19 females. Each was given 40 grams (about 1.5 oz) of 70% cocoa chocolate per day for 2 weeks. Each of these individuals was psychologically classified as having low and high anxiety traits prior to the study. After 2 weeks of the dark chocolate consumption the high-anxiety individuals showed distinct metabolic profile changes, reducing excretion of the stress hormone cortisol and normalized stress-related differences in energy metabolism. Wow, after only 2-weeks?
So what is it about dark chocolate that makes it more nutritionally effective than milk chocolate?
Milk chocolate has milk ingredients added, while dark chocolate does not. The beneficial compounds in chocolate are called “phenols” and are found in the cocoa itself. The more cocoa a chocolate bar contains, the more phenols it has. Milk chocolate doesn’t leave a lot of room to be adding more cocoa due to the added milk ingredients. Phenols have been proven to lower “bad cholesterol” aka LDL and have antioxidant and disease-fighting effects in the body. “Dark” chocolate in the United States is considered 70% cocoa and above. Here in Seattle we have a local “Bean to Bar”, organic and environmentally sustainable chocolate factory called Theo, located in Fremont. They have several varieties of dark chocolate bars and offer tours to show you where the antioxidants actually come from. Take a tour or learn more at www.theochocolate.com
The take away message from this study on dark chocolate is that in humans, dietary choices, lifestyle, and genetics influence our metabolism and therefore can determine our health status and our likelihood of developing diseases – even in as little as 2 weeks. This study shows us that a little 70% dark chocolate every once and a while can be a good thing, and also strongly supports that idea that specific foods impact human metabolism. Subtle and short-term dietary changes! You can apply this knowledge to things like dark-chocolate, that may help our bodies but you can also look at unhealthy dietary patterns that you may have picked up and know that your choices ARE effecting your body chemistry and WILL have an impact on your health down the road. It’s all about variety, balance and moderation.
So enjoy your 70% Dark Chocolate in health this Valentine’s Day!
Blessings,
Ashley
Source: Martin et al. Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects. Journal of Proteome Research, 2009.
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