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You probably know that chocolate has many health benefits. Norman Hollenberg, a professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, researches about genes that function to protect humans from rising blood pressure. Hollenberg then studied the Kuna tribe, a tribe that has been isolated for almost 500 years, where the incidence of hypertension in this tribe is very rare and the risk remains low with age.
After researching, it turns out that the Kuna tribe can consume up to five glasses of chocolate drinks per day.
What's in the chocolate?
The chocolate used by the Kuna tribe is richer in flavanol compounds. In addition, chocolate also stimulates the body to produce a compound called nitric oxide. In the form of gases, this compound is commonly found in cigarette smoke. Even so, nitric oxide produced from chocolate has potential as a treatment for high blood pressure, clogged arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, and hypotension. This statement was made by Thomas Michel, professor in the field medicine Harvard Medical School, as quoted by the Harvard Gazette.
The benefits of chocolate, according to Hollenberg, are in its flavanols. The flavanols in chocolate activate genes in the body to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide works by relaxing blood vessels thereby increasing blood flow and oxygen to the body's organs. Apart from nitric oxide, the antioxidant content in chocolate can also help reduce the risk of disease. Antioxidants help the body ward off the bad effects of free radicals that can cause damage to body cells.
Hollenberg then conducted experiments related to the effects of chocolate on blood circulation. Those who are over 50 years old are asked to consume chocolate drinks that are rich in flavanols. It turned out that their blood flow became smoother. Likewise, when the experiment was carried out on younger people. Flavanols have a similar effect. The results of these experiments provide hope for the treatment of diseases associated with decreased cognitive abilities in the elderly. By increasing blood flow to the brain, it is hoped that dementia can be prevented.
Then what about the fat in chocolate? The fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter consisting of oleic acid (including the type of unsaturated fat) and stearic and palmitic acids which are included in saturated fat. Saturated fat is only one third of the total fat in chocolate. However, if you consume too much chocolate, the health benefits of chocolate can be reduced and actually cause disease.
Are all types of chocolate good for health?
Before you rush to buy chocolate at the supermarket, you have to know what types of chocolate can provide health benefits. The meaning of chocolate drink consumed by the Kuna tribe is pure chocolate derived from the cocoa tree. The Kuna tribe grows and then processes their own chocolate.
Not all chocolate products contain high levels of flavanols. Natural chocolate or cocoa has a strong taste due to its flavanol content. When cocoa is processed into its processed products, several treatments (such as fermentation, roasting, and so on) cause flavanol levels to decrease. The more stages and processes you go through, the more flavanols are lost. In addition, chocolate that is sold commercially usually has gone through many processes, including adding sweeteners, milk, stabilizers, fats, and others. This makes chocolate no longer pure and its flavanol content is much reduced when compared to chocolate consumed by the Kuna tribe.
Unhealthy chocolate
To get the benefits of chocolate, choose a type dark chocolate . This type of chocolate usually has a slightly bitter taste, because it contains a lot of cocoa. Avoid labeled types of chocolate milk chocolate , it tastes sweeter because of the added milk and sugar.
Type of white chocolate or white chocolate should also be avoided because it is made from cocoa butter , sugar, and milk so it's high in saturated fat.
If you buy cocoa powder, choose a type of chocolate that doesn't go through a process called dutch process. In this process, the cocoa will be mixed with a solution of potassium carbonate to neutralize the acidic properties of the cocoa. The chocolate powder that goes through dutch the process usually has a darker color when compared to natural cocoa powder.
