Did You Know That Drinking Cocoa Is Good For Your Health?

Want a drink that'll keep you warm, tastes good, easy to make and is good for your heart?

Well read on to find-out what it is, and how you can experience the benefits of this age old drink!

Nectar Of The Gods!

Just when you thought that staying healthy was getting to be too complicated, something to help simplify that problem, could be just a sip away! It's cocoa!

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Polyphenols found in cocoa called, flavanols, increases the body's ability to use nitric oxide, which has beneficial effects on blood pressure, blood flow and heart health.

This isn't just wishful thinking.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

A study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston. 37,000 Boston men were surveyed about their chocolate intake and how much they ate, on a regular basis. Those who consumed the most chocolate per week, had a 17 percent less likely chance of having a stroke, than those who ate less or no chocolate per week . Of course chocolate is made from...you guessed it...cocoa!

The study found that high blood pressure was rarely found in, the indigenous people of the island of Kuna, in Central America, who drink about 5 cups of cocoa a day, as part of their daily lifestyle and many of their recipes. They eat a high salt diet, but have normal blood pressure

But here's the interesting part.

When the island Kuna moved to the mainland and adopted the mainland lifestyle, their risk of high blood pressure increased in line with the higher risk seen in the mainland population.

University of California at Davis

A study at the University of California at Davis comparing cocoa, chocolate and aspirin, showed that, like aspirin, cocoa and chocolate promote healthy blood flow. A similar comparison was made between low-dose aspirin and a flavanol-rich cocoa beverage, showed that both had similar effects on preventing blood platelets from sticking together. This may be related to their beneficial effects on the release of nitric oxide.

In a study by different researchers, 4,260 men were surveyed who had previously experienced a stroke. This time those who consumed the most chocolate, had a19 percent lower risk of stroke, than those eating less or no chocolate. The study also found that just consuming a quarter cup of chocolate or cocoa a week, was associated with a14 percent lower risk of stroke.

Most studies showing the benefits of eating chocolate use dark chocolate but, the men in these studies were said to be consuming milk chocolate. Milk chocolate isn't the cocoa powerhouse that dark chocolate is...but that doesn't seem to affect its beneficial effect, on the health of those who eat it.

Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology

A study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, showed that drinking cocoa flavanols, reversed damage cause by atherosclerosis, on healthy blood vessel functioning.

Male smokers were given cocoa drinks containing various amount of of flavanols, ranging from 28 to 918 milligrams. A 50 per cent improvement in blood vessel functioning was observed, when179 milligrams of flavanols were consumed. The greatest improvement was seen when, 918 milligrams was consumed, and was the same as someone, with no cardiovascular risk factors.

Amazing!

Drink Up!

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Other studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate lower insulin resistance and boost HDL cholesterol, the so-called good cholesterol.

Lastly, recent lab test tubes studies, showed that cocoa reduced the growth rate of colon cancer cells.These result were said to be promising. Studies need to be done on people to see if this effect, hold up in real life disease processes.

So whether it's light or dark chocolate or just plain ole cocoa. Drink up! What do you have to lose! How much easier can it be, to positively affect your health, than having a nice cup of hot or iced cocoa! And, you may lower your blood pressure and benefit your heart in the process.

References

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11126527_The_effects_of_flavanol-rich_cocoa_and_aspirin_on_ex_vivo_platelet_function
• https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2002/02/18/Cocoa-link-to-cardiovascular-health
• https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/02/14/cocoa-may-ease-walking-pain-from-peripheral-artery-disease
• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/apc-prs021102.php

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