Perhaps the most painless path to better cardiovascular health is one that comes all-too-naturally to many people: eating chocolate. Earlier research had established a link between cocoa-based confections and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow, which often attributed to antioxidants.
Oscar Franco and colleagues from the University of Cambridge reviewed half-a-dozen studies covering 100,000 patients, with and without heart disease, comparing the group that consumed the most and the least chocolate in each. They found that the highest level of chocolate intake was associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease, and a 20% drop in strokes, when compared with the chocolate-adverse cohort. But no significant reduction was reported in the incidence of heart attack.
The findings, alas, come with an important caveat: the healthful molecules are found in the bitter cacao, which grow on the cacao tree and are full of natural plant nutrients; not in the sugar and fat with which they are routinely combined. Commercially available chocolate is very calorific and eating too much of it could in itself lead to weight gain, risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Most of the studies to date highlight dark chocolate's health values because it has the highest percentage of cocoa solids, therefore more flavanol antioxidants. In fact, ounce for ounce, dark chocolate and cocoa have more antioxidants than do foods like blueberries, green tea and red wine.
Antioxidants work by protecting your cells from damaging molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are basically unstable oxygen molecules that can trigger changes in the structure of normally healthy cells. This damage is thought to be an underlying cause of many chronic diseases. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are a natural by-product of life, but as we get older the natural antioxidants our body makes to fight them off begin to decline. The best way to recharge your antioxidant power is to get them through your diet. Now you know why you are always told to eat more fruits and vegetables.
也许吃巧克力是大多数人最自然不过的事，是改善心血管健康最无痛苦的途径。早前的研究已经建立了可可甜点与降低血压或血流量的改善之间的联系，这联系往往归因于抗氧化剂。
奥斯卡佛朗哥和来自英国剑桥大学的同事们审查了六项研究，涉及100,000个病人，分为患有心脏病和没有心脏疾病的组合，在个别的组合比较消耗最多和最少的巧克力的病人。他们发现，当与少摄取巧克力的病人比较，摄取巧克力最高水平的病人减少了心血管疾病37％，患上中风的比率也下降20％。但在这项研究报道中，心脏病发作的发生率并没有显着减少。
唉!这项调查结果带出一个重要的警告：有益健康的分子存在于苦涩的可可中，而可可是生长在可可树上且拥有丰富的天然植物营养素，而不是与他们经常结合的糖和脂肪。市面上销售的巧克力是非常高热能的，吃得太多的话，它本身可导致体重增加以及提高糖尿病和心脏疾病的风险。
大多数最新的研究突出黑巧克力的健康值，因为它拥有比例最高的可可固体，因此拥有更多的黄烷醇抗氧化剂。事实上，以每一盎司来比较，黑巧克力和可可比其他的食物如蓝莓，绿茶和红葡萄酒，拥有更多的抗氧化剂。
抗氧化剂的工作是保护您的细胞免受称为自由基的破坏。自由基基本上是不稳定的氧分子，可以触发正常健康的细胞结构的变化。这种损害被认为是许多慢性疾病的根本原因。抗氧化剂的作用是中和这些破坏性的自由基。
自由基是自然的生活的副产品，但随着年龄的增长，我们的身体所产生的天然抗氧化剂开始下降。补给你抗氧化能力的最好办法是通过你的饮食来摄取。现在你知道为什么人们总是劝你多吃水果和蔬菜了吧！
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