Chocolate & Prosperity

Dr. Nicholas Perricone, MD, CNS is a board certified dermatologist, anti-aging expert and best selling author.

The secret to living a long and healthy life is not all about self-denial, self-discipline and austerity. While it is true that we do need to exercise some self-control and make smart decisions when it comes to our diet, there are some treats that we can enjoy while reaping healthy benefits.

I am happy to report that one of life's greatest pleasures is actually rich in heart-healthy antioxidants. A number of scientific studies have found that extra dark chocolate, containing 80 percent cocoa solids or more, is uniquely high in potent, heart-healthy flavon-3-ol antioxidants. Polyphenols identified in the cocoa bean include several different catechins, as well as procyanins, anthocyanins, and flavone and flavonol glycosides. In fact, cocoa contains double the flavon-3-ol anti-oxidant content of red wine, and five times that of green tea.

ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2007) — The health benefits of epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, are so striking that it may rival penicillin and anaesthesia in terms of importance to public health , reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Norman Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told C&I that epicatechin is so important that it should be considered a vitamin.

Dr.NormanHollenberg (Harvard Medical School) says “We all agree that penicillin and anaesthesia are enormously important. But epicatechin could potentially get rid of 4 of the 5 most common diseases in the western world, how important does that make epicatechin?... I would say very important”

4 diseases (stroke, heart failure, cancer and TYPE 2 diabetes)

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2006) — In a multifaceted study involving the Kuna Indians of Panama, an international team of scientists has pinpointed a chemical compound that is, in part, responsible, for the heart-healthy benefits of certain cocoas and some chocolate products.

The study showed that epicatechin, one of a group of chemicals known as flavanols, was directly linked to improved circulation and other hallmarks of cardiovascular health. Findings of the study are reported in the Jan. 16 online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Although previous studies strongly indicated that some flavanol-rich foods, such as wine, tea and cocoa can offer cardiovascular health benefits, we have been able to demonstrate a direct relationship between the intake of certain flavanols present in cocoa, their absorption into the circulation and their effects on cardiovascular function in humans," said UC Davis biochemist Hagen Schroeter, who co-authored the paper along with cardiologist Christian Heiss of the Heinrich-Heine University.

23 May 2006
Research just published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals the potential benefits of consuming flavanol-rich cocoa and how it might actually benefit skin from the inside out.

Researchers found that certain components in cocoa may actually help improve the appearance of women's skin - increasing hydration, decreasing skin roughness and scaling, and helping to support the skin's defense against UV damage.

The German scientists attributed the observed benefits to cocoa flavanols - a group of compounds that can be particularly rich in cocoa and that have been previously reported to improve blood flow and vessel function.

They're packed with monounsaturated fatty acids (also known as MUFAs, pronounced MOO-fahs), those good-for-you fats that protect you from chronic disease and, according to new research, can help you lose fat, specifically around your middle.

That's why they're at the heart of the Flat Belly Diet. There are five major categories of MUFAs: (1) oils, (2) nuts and seeds, (3) avocado, (4) olives, and (5) chocolate.

Eating one serving of any of these foods at every meal will help reduce your accumulation of dangerous belly fat; control your calorie intake and you'll lose inches and pounds, too--especially around your waistline.

For people with diabetes, indulging in cocoa could be a way to improve their health naturally -- and deliciously. The reason? Flavanols, plant compounds found in cocoa (as well as in tea, red wine, and certain fruits and vegetables), help blood vessels to function better and could help prevent cardiovascular disease, according to new research published in the June 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

The full article can be found here: http://www.naturalnews.com/023499.html

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- While a growing number of studies has shown a link between flavanol-rich cocoa and cardiovascular health, scientists have now substantiated a causal relationship between specific compounds present in cocoa and cardiovascular health.

Published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS)(1), this new study identifies the flavanol, (-)epicatechin, as one of the bioactive nutrients in cocoa that can improve the ability of blood vessels to relax.

Click here to read the full article posted on the University of California Davis web site

This study was also posted on the PR News wire

J Am Coll Cardiol, 2008; 51:2141-2149, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2008.01.059
© 2008 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Every day we see more independent peer-reviewed research showing how high flavanoid cocoa helps improve many aspecs of health.  This study shows that diets rich in flavanols, such as that found in high-flavanol cocoa, reverse vascular dysfunction in diabetes, highlighting therapeutic potentials in cardiovascular disease.

All of the Xocai Healthy Chocolate products are routinely tested and certified by Brunswick Laboratories and carry the Brunswick Labs Certified Seal ensuring that you are eating chocolate rich in antioxidants and especially loaded with flavanols!

Read the study here!

By Dr. Philip S. Chua
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 18:15:00 08/18/2008

The full article can be found here

This is a great article outlining a number of studies showcasing how dark chocolate has many health benefits.

This article discusses the 2006 study from the University of California-Davis and the University of Dusseldorf in Germany confirming that "the coumpound epicatechin found in cocoa is directly linked to vasodilation and improved curculation and other hallmarks of cardiovascular function"

It alsos discusses a seaparate study in Tufts Universty and the University of California, San Fransisco conrfiming the 2006 study listed above adding informaiton that eating cocoa did not increase the lipid (cholesterol) levels.

There are so many studies showing up all the time that it is hard to keep up! 

Here are some links to even more studies showing how high-flavanol cocoa such as that found in Xocai has potential health beneits:

• WebMD: Chocolate May Help Smokers' Blood Vessels
• Science Daily News: Flavanols Key To Potential Chocolate Benefits 
• News-Medical.net: Dark chocolate and cocoa may help arterial stiffness 
• CBS News: Chocolate May Help Aging Blood Vessels Study Shows Special Flavonol-Rich Cocoa May Improve Function  
• Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow  
  

American Chiropractic Association
5 Aug 2009

More good news about chocolate.  Even the ACA is talking about the benefits of the RIGHT kind of chocolate.  Xocai is minimally processed and certified to be the highest in the essential cocoa flavanols.  Here is an exerpt from their article:

"Beneficial to Your Health…and Society!

By Cathy Burke, RYT

Recently, media has been touting the health benefits of chocolate, a great source of antioxidants and an instant rush of endorphins in the brain. While this is certainly news to savor, there are many differences in the kinds of chocolates available, and your selections can have a hefty impact on your personal health, the health of the environment, and society. 

Good for Our Bodies
All chocolate provides antioxidants, but in different amounts. The rule of thumb is that the darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants there are available. The percentage listed on the package (59%, 74%, etc.) indicates the percentage of cocoa mass used in the product. A 2005 study by the Agriculture Research Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency, confirmed that the higher this mass, the higher the antioxidant content. Another study showed that just a few squares of dark chocolate per day (approximately 2 oz.), “may substantially increase the amount of antioxidant intake and beneficially affect vascular health."

The National Cancer Institute has posted a Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet

Key Points    

• Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals (see Question 1&3).
• Laboratory and animal research has shown antioxidants help prevent the free radical damage that is associated with cancer. However, results from recent studies in people (clinical trials) are not consistent (see Question 2).
• Antioxidants are provided by a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables (see Question 4).

Thursday 4 June 2009

Low-fat chocolate milk is just as good as sports drinks at helping athletes recover from exercise, according to a small study. Football players recovered from training just as quickly after drinking chocolate milk, and chemical markers in their blood suggested that they might suffer less from muscle breakdown.

Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, P.O. Box 101007, 40001 Dusseldorf, Germany.

BACKGROUND: Long term cocoa ingestion leads to an increased resistance against UV-induced erythema and a lowered transepidermal water loss. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the acute effects of a single dose of cocoa rich in flavanols on dermal microcirculation. METHODS: In a crossover design study, 10 healthy women ingested a cocoa drink (100 ml) with high (329 mg) or low (27 mg) content of flavanols. The major flavanol monomer in both drinks was epicatechin, 61 mg in the high flavanol, and 6.6 mg in the low flavanol product per 100 ml. Dermal blood flow and oxygen saturation of hemoglobin were examined by laser Doppler flowmetry and spectroscopically at 1 mm skin depth at t = 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h. At the same time points, plasma levels of total epicatechin (free compound plus conjugates) were measured by means of HPLC. RESULTS: Subsequent to the intake of high flavanol cocoa, dermal blood flow was significantly increased by 1.7-fold at t = 2 h and oxygen saturation was elevated 1.8-fold. No statistically significant changes were found upon intake of low flavanol cocoa. Maximum plasma levels of total epicatechin were observed 1 h after ingestion of the high flavanol cocoa drink, 11.6 +/- 7.4 nmol/l at baseline, and 62.9 +/- 35.8 nmol/l at 1 h. No change of total epicatechin was found in the low flavanol group. CONCLUSION: Flavanol-rich cocoa consumption acutely increases dermal blood flow and oxygen saturation.

More good news emerges daily from the scientific community about the benefits of dark chocolate:

 July 14, 2008

Good news for Heart Health month: the occasional dark chocolate may actually be good for the heart, says Cynthia Lieu, Pharm.D., associate professor and a nutritional support pharmacist at the USC School of Pharmacy. “Studies suggest dark chocolate makes blood less likely to clot and contribute to a heart attack, helps keep arteries from hardening and increases blood flow which helps lower blood pressure.”

ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2003) — There's sweet news about hot cocoa: Researchers at Cornell University have shown that the popular winter beverage contains more antioxidants per cup than a similar serving of red wine or tea and may be a healthier choice.

Click here for the full article

Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy

Flavanols from chocolate appear to increase nitric oxide bioavailability, protect vascular endothelium, and decrease cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. We sought to test the effect of flavanol-rich dark chocolate (FRDC) on endothelial function, insulin sensitivity, beta-cell function, and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). After a run-in phase, 19 hypertensives with IGT (11 males, 8 females; 44.8 +/- 8.0 y) were randomized to receive isocalorically either FRDC or flavanol-free white chocolate (FFWC) at 100 g/d for 15 d. After a wash-out period, patients were switched to the other treatment. Clinical and 24-h ambulatory BP was determined by sphygmometry and oscillometry, respectively, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), oral glucose tolerance test, serum cholesterol and C-reactive protein, and plasma homocysteine were evaluated after each treatment phase. FRDC but not FFWC ingestion decreased insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; P < 0.0001) and increased insulin sensitivity (quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, insulin sensitivity index (ISI), ISI(0); P < 0.05) and beta-cell function (corrected insulin response CIR(120); P = 0.035). Systolic (S) and diastolic (D) BP decreased (P < 0.0001) after FRDC (SBP, -3.82 +/- 2.40 mm Hg; DBP, -3.92 +/- 1.98 mm Hg; 24-h SBP, -4.52 +/- 3.94 mm Hg; 24-h DBP, -4.17 +/- 3.29 mm Hg) but not after FFWC. Further, FRDC increased FMD (P < 0.0001) and decreased total cholesterol (-6.5%; P < 0.0001), and LDL cholesterol (-7.5%; P < 0.0001). Changes in insulin sensitivity (Delta ISI - Delta FMD: r = 0.510, P = 0.001; Delta QUICKI - Delta FMD: r = 0.502, P = 0.001) and beta-cell function (Delta CIR(120) - Delta FMD: r = 0.400, P = 0.012) were directly correlated with increases in FMD and inversely correlated with decreases in BP (Delta ISI - Delta 24-h SBP: r = -0.368, P = 0.022; Delta ISI - Delta 24-h DBP r = -0.384, P = 0.017). Thus, FRDC ameliorated insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, decreased BP, and increased FMD in IGT hypertensive patients. These findings suggest flavanol-rich, low-energy cocoa food products may have a positive impact on CVD risk factors.

Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Building 22.03, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, D-40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.

The availability of l-arginine can be a rate-limiting factor for cellular NO production by nitric oxide synthases (NOS). Arginase competes with NOS for l-arginine as the common substrate. Increased arginase activity has been linked to low NO levels, and an inhibition of arginase activity has been reported to improve endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. Based on the above, we hypothesized that an increase in the circulating NO pool following flavanol consumption could be correlated with decreased arginase activity. To test this hypothesis we (a) investigated the effects of (-)-epicatechin and its structurally related metabolites on endothelial arginase expression and activity in vitro; (b) evaluated the effects of dietary flavanol-rich cocoa on kidney arginase activity in vivo; and (c) assessed human erythrocyte arginase activity following flavanol-rich cocoa beverage consumption in a double-blind intervention study with cross-over design. The results demonstrate that cocoa flavanols lower arginase-2 mRNA expression and activity in HUVEC. Dietary intervention with flavanol-rich cocoa caused diminished arginase activity in rat kidney and, erythrocyte arginase activity was lowered in healthy humans following consumption of a high flavanol beverage in vivo.

With the exception of the protien bar, all Xocai products use raw cane juice crystals a naturlal low glycemic sweetener.  Many ask if a heavily processed sugar alcohol Xylitol is truly safe?

An article posted on Natural News poses this question.  Is Xylitol safe?  Here are some of the highlits:

Consuming 1.4 ounces of Xylitol per day will cause diarrhea in many subjects according to a study conducted in 1977. On Xylitol.org the page sates, "In the amounts needed to prevent tooth decay (less than 15 grams per day), xylitol is safe for everyone." 15 grams of xylitol is about 0.5 ounces. What about doses over 15 grams?

What is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a 5-carbon sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables and produced in small amounts by the human body. Xylitol is also found in things like hardwood. Keep in mind that the xylitol in chewing gum is not necessarily the same thing as xylitol in fruits or vegetables because it has to be treated and processed in order to extract the sugar crystals from the fruit or vegetable. This is akin to the differences between synthetic vitamins and naturally occurring vitamins in foods. They are not the same thing.

Xylitol is a processed sugar. After being hydrogenated and having toxic chemicals added to xylan from corn or other plant material, and then removed, you get xylitol. For anyone who wants to be healthy, the first thing that is pretty much unanimous about any diet or protocol to restore your health, is that you need to avoid processed sugars. While there is a variety of opinions on what foods to eat in replacement of processed sugar, it is blatantly clear that processed sugars, like xylitol, are extremely harmful to humans. Perhaps, xylitol has special uses in special cases; as a regular part of your diet, it is clearly a poor idea.

Xylitol might inhibit bacteria growth, but so does white sugar. Xylitol's dirty little secret is that even in moderate doses of larger than 15 grams, which is approximately 3 teaspoons, xylitol's own promotional material says it is not safe for everyone to use. Children being smaller and less developed than adults, will obviously be much more sensitive to xylitol's effects.

How is Xylitol Made?

A search of patents online explains one process for making xylitol, tell me if this sounds healthy? You begin with some source material containing xylan. One commonly used source is corn imported from China.

1. First the xylan needs to be broken down in a process called acid hydrolyzing. The results of this process leave us with xylose and acetic acid. The process of hydrogenation is carried out at higher pressures and temperatures ranging from 158 degrees Fahrenheit and higher. Hydrogenation needs a catalyst, so a substance called Raney nickel can be used which is a powdered nickel-aluminium alloy.

2. The acetic acid needs to be removed as the material safety data sheet describes it as, "Very hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Hazardous in case of skin contact (corrosive, permeator), of eye contact (corrosive)."

3. Then the hydrolyzing acid and organic residues must be removed, this is done by heating the mixture and evaporating it.

4. The resulting syrup, now free of acetic acid, hydrolyzing acid, nick-aluminum and other residues.

5. The syrup is crystallized by stirring ethanol into it.

6. The crystalline xylitol is now separated in a centrifuge from the ethanol and from the sorbitol remaining in solution.

7. Viola, you have xylitol.

Health Concerns

In lab tests, xylitol will kill a rat 50% of the time in a dosage of 16.5 grams of xylitol for every 1000 grams of rat. Medium rats weigh 100-120 grams, or say .25 pounds. That means, to kill a 100 gram rat, you need only to get the rat to consume, 1.65 grams of xylitol.

A typical xylitol piece of gum contains .7 – 1 gram of xylitol. About half the amount needed to kill a rat. I read of a study stating that humans consumed up to 400 grams of xylitol per day without any ill health effects. I find that hard to believe that such a study is accurate in comparison to the lab tests done as indicated on the material safety data sheets. If 1.65 grams can kill a rat, consuming 400 grams would be highly toxic to humans.

A more detailed look gives cause for even more concern, there seems to be no long term safety data about the long term health effects of regularly consuming xylitol. The data sheets state:

"Epidemiology: No information found

Teratogenicity: No information found

Reproductive Effects: No information found

Mutagenicity: No information found

Neurotoxicity: No information found"