 |
 |
Eating chocolate could be good for your heart, new research suggests LOS ANGELES (March 24, 1999 9:47 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - There is more good news from the scientific community for chocolate lovers -- eating chocolate may reduce their chance of heart disease by helping arteries remain unclogged. A study released on Wednesday, sponsored by Mars Inc., the makers of M&M's and Snickers, and conducted by Mars and the University of California Davis, found that cocoa contains flavonoids that act as antioxidants and can help prevent plaque from sticking to artery walls. "What we found is that these individual flavonoids in some of our chocolate products actually have significantly different antioxidant activities," Mars researcher doctor Harold Schmitz told Reuters. "This is very significant. About 100 years ago people found vitamins, 50 years later they found various vitamins all do different things," he said after the findings were presented at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in Anaheim, Calif. The report went further than previous studies by identifying particular flavonoids found in chocolate that inhibit the oxidation of so-called bad cholesterol. That oxidation is believed to be a key event leading to build-up of plaque in arteries, which can lead to their blockage and ultimately cardiovascular disease. Researchers told a cocoa experts meeting in Spain last year that cocoa contained more than 600 chemicals that may help fight cancer and heart disease, and could also help protect the human immune system, fight rheumatism and combat stress. Another report last December by the Harvard School of Public Health said eating candy could increase longevity. The Harvard study was spurred by the belief that since candy has been part of the diet from the days of Ancient Egyptians, Arabs and Chinese, it presumably had some value. The study showed that eating candy appeared to add a year to life expectancy. Flavonoids are also the chemical found in wine that studies have indicated are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Copyright 1999 Nando Media Copyright 1999 Reuters News Service http://www.nandotimes.com/noframes/story/0,2107,31272-50270-373500-0,00.html janet paterson - 52 now /41 dx /37 onset - almonte/ontario/canada <http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/janet/index.htm> [log in to unmask]