San Diego Nutrition and Health

Recently a group of researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted a study on blood platelets and blood clots.  During the study, study participants were given a list of foods to avoid.  Chocolate was included on the list.   Going without chocolate was more than some of the participants could do though so they secretly indulged, basically cheating according to the study parameters.  Fortunately this turned out to be a good thing because researchers discovered a new health benefit derived from chocolate.  What researchers discovered is that chocolate reduces the tendency of platelets to clot in blood vessels. 

“What these chocolate ‘offenders’ taught us is that the chemical in cocoa beans has a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing platelet clumping, which can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack,” says Diane Becker, M.P.H., Sc.D., a professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health.

This new research doesn’t mean you can buy all the half-priced Christmas chocolates and eat them till they are gone.  The chocolate benefits Becker and her associates are talking about come from chocolate in its purest form without all the milk, butter and sugar found in most of the chocolate products on the market.  Pure cacao pieces or dark chocolate with minimal amounts of sugar is what will give you the best health benefits.  Becker and her associates suggest that as little as 2 Tablespoons of dark chocolate may reduce the risk of a heart attack in some men and women by as much as 50%. 

Looking for a good chocolate bar that’s good for you too?  Trader Joe’s sells an Unsweetened Belgian Baking Chocolate bar that is made from 100% cacao beans.  Eat the squares plan or mix them with a healthy sweetener for a great treat.