Chocolate has been said to cause
acne and tooth decay, and has a reputation for being a fattening, nutritionless
food. On the other hand, chocolate is also known for being everything from
an anti-depressant to an aphrodisiac. While there's still much we don't
know about chocolate, recent research is helping us better understand how
chocolate consumption affects our health.
The good news is that most of the
bad effects of eating chocolate are either overstated or entirely false.
Eating chocolate neither causes nor aggravates acne. Two studies -- one
by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine and another by the U.S. Naval Academy
-- showed that eating chocolate (or not eating it) did not produce any
significant changes in the acne conditions of the study's participants.
These results are further backed by research which shows that acne is not
primarily linked to diet.
Chocolate also has not been proven
to cause cavities or tooth
decay. In fact, there are indications that the cocoa butter
in the chocolate coats the teeth and may help protect them by preventing
plaque from forming. The sugar in chocolate does contribute to cavities,
but no more than the sugar in any other food.
Obviously, eating too much of any
food may cause health problems. The cocoa butter in chocolate does contain
saturated fat, which can increase blood cholesterol
levels, and high cholesterol can
contribute to heart disease. However, recent research at the University
of California, Davis, has found that chocolate carries high levels of chemicals
known as phenolics, some of which may help lower the risk of heart
disease. Plants such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and others contain
high levels of phenolics.
Andrew Waterhouse, the lead researcher
from U.C. Davis, is a wine chemist. For several years he has been studying
the possible health benefits of antioxidant phenolics found in red wine.
Waterhouse told us that phenolic compounds are found in all plant products,
and that the plants "probably make them as protective agents and for improving
their success at reproduction." The bitter, astringent taste that these
plants have is an indication of the phenolics found within.
Andrew Waterhouse discusses how
phenolics may reduce the risk of heart disease.
So how might phenolics prevent
heart disease? Apparently, phenolics prevent fat-like substances in the
bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries. Said Waterhouse:
"It's now believed that atherosclerosis, or the formation of plaque in
the arteries, is caused by oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoproteins)
-- that's one of the cholesterol particles. At first, this leads to subtle
damage, and then eventually to the formation of advanced plaque." The buildup
of plaque can lead to clogging of the arteries, a major cause of heart
attacks.
Andrew Waterhouse explains why more
research is needed to understand the potential health benefits of phenolics.
While phenolics have chemically
been proven to reduce oxidation, Waterhouse cautioned that: "It's not known
if the phenolic compounds, like the flavenoids that are present in chocolate,
can reduce disease. It's well known
that these substances are antioxidants in a chemical sense. . .but we don't
have strong, large-scale, controlled human studies." More research still
needs to be done, but certainly the initial research is encouraging.