To the tantalizing delight of cocoa lovers everywhere, a
number of recent studies employing various methods have suggested that compounds
in cocoa called flavanols could benefit cardiovascular health. Now a systematic
review and meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cocoa
consumption reveals some further pieces of supporting evidence.
The meta-analysis in the Journal of Nutrition, an assessment of the
combined evidence from all 19 RCTs, focused on whether consumption of
flavanol-rich cocoa products was associated with improvements in specific
circulating biomarkers of cardiometabolic health as compared to consuming
placebos with negligible cocoa flavanol content. In all, 1,139 volunteers were
involved in these trials.
The studies found that cocoa flavanol
intake may reduce dyslipidemia (elevated triglycerides), insulin resistance and
systemic inflammation, which are all major subclinical risk factors for
cardiometabolic diseases.
The greatest effects were seen among
trial volunteers who ate between 200 and 600 milligrams of flavanols a day
(based on their cocoa consumption). They saw significant declines in blood
glucose and insulin, as well as another indicator of insulin resistance called
HOMA-IR. They also saw an increase in HDL, or "good," cholesterol.
Those consuming higher doses saw some of the insulin resistance benefits and a
drop in triglycerides, but not a significant increase in HDL. Those with lower
doses of flavanols only saw a significant HDL benefit.
There were
benefits evident for both women and men and didn't depend on what
physical form the flavanol-rich cocoa product was consumed in -- dark chocolate
vs. a beverage, for example.
Source: Science daily.
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