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File:Main health effects of chocolate.png
Overview of the main health effects attributed to chocolate.[1]

Health effects of chocolate include both positive and negative effects. While chocolate is regularly eaten for pleasure, there are potential beneficial health effects of eating chocolate. Cocoa or dark chocolate benefits the circulatory system.[2] Other beneficial effects suggested include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal effects.[3] An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven.

On the other hand, the unconstrained consumption of large quantities of any energy-rich food such as chocolate is thought to increase the risk of obesity without a corresponding increase in activity. Raw chocolate is high in cocoa butter, a fat which is removed during chocolate refining, then added back in in varying proportions during the manufacturing process. Manufacturers may add other fats, sugars, and milk as well, all of which increase the caloric content of chocolate.

There is concern of mild lead poisoning for some types of chocolate. Chocolate is toxic to many animals because of insufficient capacity to metabolize theobromine.[4]

A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one's mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended.[5]

Migraines

Research on rats has determined that increased chocolate intake enhances the expression of MKP in the trigeminal ganglion, suppressing the level of CGRP and other inflammatory chemicals, suppressing the symptoms of migraines.[6]

Circulatory benefits

Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin.[7] Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages. Some studies have also observed a modest reduction in blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation after consuming dark chocolate daily.[8] Consuming milk chocolate or white chocolate, or drinking fat-containing milk with dark chocolate, appears largely to negate the health benefit.[9] Processed cocoa powder (so called Dutch chocolate), processed with alkali greatly reduces the antioxidant capacity as compared to "raw" cocoa powder. Processing cocoa with alkali destroys most of the flavonoids.[10]

One-third of the fat in chocolate comes in the forms of a saturated fat called stearic acid and a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. However, unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid does not raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.[11] Consuming relatively large amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa does not seem to raise serum LDL cholesterol levels; some studies even find that it could lower them.[12] Indeed, small but regular amounts of dark chocolate lower the possibility of a heart attack.[13]

A study performed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and appearing the Journal of Internal Medicine (September 2009), found that survivors of heart attacks who ate chocolate at least two or three times a week reduced their risk of death by a factor of up to three times compared to survivors who did not eat chocolate. The benefits were specific to chocolate and not to other sweets.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

Aphrodisiac

Romantic lore commonly identifies chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate are most often associated with the simple sensual pleasure of its consumption. Although there is no proof that chocolate is indeed an aphrodisiac, a gift of chocolate is a familiar courtship ritual.

Muscle recovery

A study from James Madison University, presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, showed that post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk provides equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories. Athletes consuming chocolate milk had significantly lower levels of creatine kinase, an indicator of muscle damage, compared to drinkers of carbohydrate beverage. Sweating causes loss of fluid and also important minerals, including calcium, potassium and magnesium. The 2-hour window after exercise is an important, but often neglected opportunity to recover.[20]

Other benefits

Studies suggest a specially formulated type of cocoa may be nootropic and delay brain function decline as people age.[21]

Mars, Incorporated, a Virginia-based candy company, spends money each year on flavonol research.[22] The company is talking with pharmaceutical companies to license drugs based on synthesized cocoa flavonol molecules. According to Mars-funded researchers at Harvard, the University of California, and European universities, cocoa-based prescription drugs could potentially help treat diabetes, dementia and other diseases.[23]

Theobromine was found to be almost one third more effective than codeine, the leading cough medicine.[24]

Flavonoids can inhibit the development of diarrhea, suggesting antidiarrhoeal effects of cocoa.[25]

Obesity risk

The major concern that nutritionists have is that even though eating dark chocolate may not affect serum cholesterol, blood pressure or LDL oxidation, it is not known whether it affects certain biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the amount needed to have this effect would provide a relatively large quantity of calories, which, if unused, would promote weight gain. Obesity is a significant risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular disease. As a consequence, consuming large quantities of dark chocolate in an attempt to protect against cardiovascular disease has been described as 'cutting off one's nose to spite one's face'.[26]

Acne

Chocolate, ranging from dark to light, can be molded and decorated like these chickens with ribbons

There is a popular belief that the consumption of chocolate can cause acne. This belief is not supported by scientific studies.[27][28] Various studies point not to chocolate, but to the high glycemic nature of certain foods, like sugar, corn syrup, and other simple carbohydrates, as a cause of acne.[29][30][31][32] Chocolate itself has a low glycemic index.[33] Other dietary causes of acne cannot be excluded yet, but more rigorous research is required.[34]

Lead

Chocolate has one of the higher concentrations of lead among products that constitute a typical Westerner's diet, with a potential to cause mild lead poisoning. Recent studies have shown that although the beans themselves absorb little lead, it tends to bind to cocoa shells and contamination may occur during the manufacturing process. A recent peer-reviewed publication found significant amounts of lead in chocolate.[35] In a USDA study in 2004, mean lead levels in the samples tested ranged from 0.0010 to 0.0965 µg lead per gram of chocolate, but another study by a Swiss research group in 2002 found that some chocolate contained up to 0.769 µg per gram, close to the international (voluntary) standard limit for lead in cocoa powder or beans, which is 1 µg of lead per gram.[36] In 2006, the U.S. FDA lowered by one-fifth the amount of lead permissible in candy, but compliance is only voluntary.[37] While studies show that the lead consumed in chocolate may not all be absorbed by the human body, there is no known threshold for the effects of lead on children's brain function and even small quantities of lead can cause permanent neurodevelopmental deficits including impaired IQ.[38]

Toxicity in animals

Main article: Theobromine poisoning

In sufficient amounts, the theobromine found in chocolate is toxic to animals such as horses, dogs, parrots, small rodents, and cats because they are unable to metabolise the chemical effectively.[4] If they are fed chocolate, the theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours, and these animals may experience epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding, and eventually death. Medical treatment performed by a veterinarian involves inducing vomiting within two hours of ingestion and administration of benzodiazepines or barbiturates for seizures, antiarrhythmics for heart arrhythmias, and fluid diuresis.

A typical 20-kilogram (44 lb) dog will normally experience great intestinal distress after eating less than 240 grams (8.5 ounces) of dark chocolate, but will not necessarily experience bradycardia or tachycardia unless it eats at least a half a kilogram (1.1 lb) of milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has 2 to 5 times more theobromine and thus is more dangerous to dogs. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, approximately 1.3 grams of baker's chocolate per kilogram of a dog's body weight (0.02 oz/lb) is sufficient to cause symptoms of toxicity. For example, a typical 25-gram (0.88 oz) baker's chocolate bar would be enough to bring about symptoms in a 20-kilogram (44 lb) dog. Of course, baking chocolate is rarely consumed directly due to its unpleasant taste, but other dark chocolates' canine toxicities may be extrapolated based on this figure. As dogs like the taste of chocolate products and are capable of finding and eating quantities much larger than typical human servings, they should be kept out of their reach. There are reports that mulch made from cacao bean shells is dangerous to dogs and livestock.[39][40][41]

As a stimulant

Molten Chocolate
A chocolate sweet.
A model of the Reichstag made of chocolate at a Berlin shop
See also: Chocoholism

Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have an effect on body chemistry. These include:

Chocolate is a mild stimulant to humans mainly due to the presence of theobromine.[49] It is much more potent for horses, and its use in horse racing is prohibited.

White chocolate contains only trace amounts of the caffeine and theobromine of normal chocolates, because these chemicals are contained in the cocoa solids, not the cocoa butter, from which white chocolate is made.

See also

References

  1. ^ Separate reference list for the image is available at its main page in Wikimedia Commons: Commons:File:Main health effects of chocolate.png#References.
  2. ^ DeNoon, Daniel J. "Dark Chocolate Is Healthy Chocolate". WebMD. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
  3. ^ Ingall, Marjorie. "Chocolate can do good things for your heart, skin and brain". CNN Health. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Veterinary Q & A: Chocolate Toxicity". About.com. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
  5. ^ BBC NEWS "Chocolate better than kissing". BBC News. 16 April 2007. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ Cady, Ryan and Paul Durham "Cocoa-enriched diets enhance expression of phosphatases and decrease expression of inflammatory molecules in trigeminal ganglion neurons" Brain Research 1/29/2010
  7. ^ Epicatechin
  8. ^ "Dark Chocolate May Lower Blood Pressure". WebMD. Retrieved 29 May 2008.
  9. ^ Serafini, M., Bugianesi, R., Maiani, G., Valtuena, S., De Santis, S. & Crozier, A. 2003. Plasma antioxidants from chocolate. Nature 424, 1013
  10. ^ Haynes, Fiona. "Chocolate as a Health Food?". Low Fat Cooking. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
  11. ^ "Chocolate: Food of the Gods". Yale-New Haven Hospital. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
  12. ^ Kondo K, Hirano R, Matsumoto A, Igarashi O, Itakura H., Inhibition of LDL oxidation by cocoa, Lancet, November 1996; 348(2):1514.
  13. ^ Ross, Emma. "Dark Chocolate Could Help Hearts". CBS News. Retrieved 29 May 2008.
  14. ^ "Wiley InterScience". 090814 www3.interscience.wiley.com
  15. ^ "Chocolate 'cuts death rate' in heart attack survivors". 090814 news.smh.com.au
  16. ^ "Chocolate cuts death rate in heart attack survivors: study". 090814 physorg.com
  17. ^ "Study: Chocolate cuts risk of death in heart attack survivors - On Deadline - USATODAY.com". 090814 blogs.usatoday.com
  18. ^ "Study: Eating Chocolate Reduces Risk of Death in Heart Attack Survivors". Fox News. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  19. ^ Marlowe Hood (13 August 2009). "Chocolate 'cuts death rate' in heart attack survivors". AFP. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  20. ^ "Chocolate Milk's 'Natural' Muscle Recovery Benefits Match Or May Even Surpass A Specially Designed Carbohydrate Sports Drink". 090814 medicalnewstoday.com
  21. ^ "New Benefits Found in Chocolate". Reuters. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
  22. ^ "Cocoa flavonols emerging as functional food ingredients". Nutra Ingredients. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  23. ^ Silverman, Elissa. "The Standard - Mars talks up cocoa's medicinal potential - World Section". The Standard. Retrieved 27 June 2006.
  24. ^ Usmani, Omar S.; Belvisi, MG; Patel, HJ; Crispino, N; Birrell, MA; Korbonits, M; Korbonits, D; Barnes, PJ (2005). "Theobromine inhibits sensory nerve activation and cough". The FASEB Journal. 19 (2): 231–233. doi:10.1096/fj.04-1990fje. PMID 15548587. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  25. ^ Schuier M, Sies H, Illek B, Fischer H (2005). "Cocoa-related flavonoids inhibit CFTR-mediated chloride transport across T84 human colon epithelia". The Journal of Nutrition. 135 (10): 2320–2325. PMID 16177189. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Adams, Stuart J. "A Critical Look at the Effects of Cocoa on Human Health". Pabulum, 2004 Issue 61. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
  27. ^ Karl S. Kruszelnicki (8 June 2004). "Chocolate-Flavoured Acne". ABC Science. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  28. ^ Leah L. Porter (June 2006). "Benefits of Cocoa Polyphenols" (PDF). The Manufacturing Confectioner. p. 52.
  29. ^ Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, Mäkeläinen H, Varigos GA (2007). "A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 86 (1): 107–115. PMID 17616769. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ Anahad O’Connor (23 February 2009). "The Claim: Sugar in the Diet Can Lead to Acne". New York Times. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  31. ^ “Chocolate” (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/(Pages)/Chocolate?OpenDocument). Better Health Channel. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
  32. ^ Cordain, L; Lindeberg, S; Hurtado, M; Hill, K; Eaton, SB; Brand-Miller, J (2002). "Acne vulgaris: a disease of Western civilization". Archives of Dermatology. 138 (12): 1584–1590. doi:10.1001/archderm.138.12.1591. PMID 12472346. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  33. ^ "Sweet News for Managing Blood Sugar". allchocolate.com. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
  34. ^ Magin P, Pond D, Smith W, Watson A (2005). "A systematic review of the evidence for 'myths and misconceptions' in acne management: diet, face-washing and sunlight". Family Practice. 22 (1): 62–70. doi:10.1093/fampra/cmh715. PMID 15644386. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ Rankin, CW; Nriagu, JO; Aggarwal, JK; Arowolo, TA; Adebayo, K; Flegal, AR (2005). "Lead contamination in cocoa and cocoa products: isotopic evidence of global contamination". Environmental Health Perspectives. 113 (10): 1344–1348. PMC 1281277. PMID 16203244. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  36. ^ Karrie Heneman & Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr (2006). "Is Lead Toxicity Still a Risk to U.S. Children?" (PDF). California Agriculture. 60 (4). Retrieved 15 February 2007.
  37. ^ Lorraine Heller (29 November 2006). "FDA issues new guidance on lead in candy". FoodNavigator.com. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
  38. ^ Canfield, RL; Henderson Jr, CR; Cory-Slechta, DA; Cox, C; Jusko, TA; Lanphear, BP (2003). "Intellectual impairment in children with blood lead concentrations below 10 microg per deciliter". The New England Journal of Medicine. 348 (16): 1517–1526. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa022848. PMID 12700371. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  39. ^ "Chocolate with Animals". Animal Poison Control Center. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  40. ^ Drolet R, Arendt TD, Stowe CM. Cacao bean shell poisoning in a dog. JAVMA 1984;185(8): 902.
  41. ^ Blakemore F, Shearer GD. The poisoning of livestock by cacao products. Vet Record 1943;55(15).
  42. ^ a b Matissek, Reinhard (1997). "Evaluation of xanthine derivatives in chocolate - nutritional and chemical aspects". Zeitschrift für Lebensmitteluntersuchung und -Forschung A. 205: 175–184. doi:10.1007/s002170050148.
  43. ^ Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Snehan Cherniske
  44. ^ The Truth About Caffeine by Marina Kushner
  45. ^ Poison with a Capital C, Agatha M Thrash MD, 2000, 61pp, American Vegan Society
  46. ^ Welcome to the Dance: Caffeine Allergy - A Masked Cerebral Allergy and Progressive Toxic Dementia, Trafford Publishing, 2005
  47. ^ Liebowitz, Michael R. (1983). The chemistry of love. Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN 0316524301.
  48. ^ Sugar Blues by William Dufty (Mass Paperback)
  49. ^ Smit HJ, Gaffan EA, Rogers PJ (2004). "Methylxanthines are the psycho-pharmacologically active constituents of chocolate". Psychopharmacology. 176 (3–4): 412–419. doi:10.1007/s00213-004-1898-3. PMID 15549276. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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