Valentine’s Day is almost here and amidst the traditional exchange of valentines, flowers and the like, I love getting chocolate.
That’s because I love chocolate, and I know I’m not alone.
Did you know that chocolate is America’s favorite flavor and the food most commonly craved by women? As a nation, we consume 10 – 12 pounds of it each year! We’ve all heard that dark chocolate is good for our hearts, but does the data really support the notion? We all want to believe that chocolate protects the heart and arteries, so what’s the truth about its’ protective effects on our hearts?
Some studies show a strong connection between eating chocolate and less heart disease. In a survey of nearly 5,000 American adults, those who said they ate chocolate five times a week were 40% less likely to have ever had a heart attack or to have needed an artery-opening procedure (Clinical Nutrition, December 2010). A similar trend was seen in a large German study. However, it is impossible to tell if eating chocolate protects the heart and arteries or if people who eat chocolate also do other things that are responsible for this trend.
There are clinical trials showing that eating dark chocolate can help lower the blood pressure of patients with high blood pressure (hypertension). However, chocolate had no effect among people with normal blood pressure (BMC Medicine, published online June 28, 2010).
Other possible ways that chocolate might protect the heart and arteries include providing antioxidants, stimulating artery walls to generate artery-relaxing nitric oxide, inhibiting the activity of a blood pressure–raising enzyme. However, there is no definitive proof. Eating dark chocolate is promising, but an unproven way to treat or prevent heart disease.
It’s also worth considering the extra calories you’ll consume, since 2 ounces is equal to approximately 300 calories. Without cutting back elsewhere, you could easily put on 20 to 30 pounds over the course of a year.
We recommend eating chocolate as a snack or treat. You might also consider incorporating it into your own homemade trail mix or other snacks that could do some good for your heart and arteries, like pumpkin seeds, raisins, almonds, oatmeal or pears. In addition, how about some “guilt free” chocolate options such as chocolate bubble baths, candles and lip gloss?
Lisa M Ennis FNP
Good info! I passed this on to my female coworkers…all of whom love chocolate!