Under a study, researchers tracked the health and diet of 470 men between the ages of 65 and 84 years for a period of around 15 years. In the beginning of the study in 1985, the subjects were made to undergo physical exams and quizzed about their diets. The subjects underwent the same procedure in 1990 and 1995.
A follow-up of 15 years, since the commencement of the study, showed that of the 314 of the subjects who died, 152 suffered from cardiovascular ailments. An analysis indicated that subjects with the highest intake of cocoa had lower blood pressure than those who didn't, after adjustments for weight, smoking, exercise, and alcohol habits. In addition, their overall death rate was also lower than those who did not consume much cocoa.
�Usual cocoa intake was associated with a 45 to 50 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular death and all-cause death. Because cocoa is a rich source of antioxidants, it may also be related to other diseases that are linked to oxidative stress, such as pulmonary diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and certain types of cancer. However, this merits further investigation,� said Brian Buijsse, lead author of the study.
The cocoa came from different sources like chocolates, biscuits, mousse, cocoa drinks and other food items. Most of the cocoa, however, came from confectionaries.
The effects might be due to the fact that cocoa contains flavanol, which thin the blood much like aspirin does. In addition, it also contains antioxidants, which have been proved to benefit overall health and cut aging.
However, in spite of the findings of the study, Buijsse recommended caution while eating cocoa-based confectionaries. �It's way too early to make recommendations about whether people should eat more cocoa or chocolate,� he said.
Hailing the study, Dr David L Katz of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said, �Cocoa is the most concentrated source of bioflavonoid antioxidants readily available in our diets. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that this translates into health benefits for those who consume cocoa or dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 60 per cent or more.
Benefits have been seen in endothelial function, a measure of blood vessel health, blood pressure, insulin levels, and serum lipids.� Added University of California Davis's Cesar Fraga, �This is a very important article providing epidemiological support for what many researchers have been observing in experimental models.�
But like Buijsse, Cathy Ross of the British Heart Foundation cautioned against binging on chocolates for health purposes. �There is some evidence that when eaten in small quantities, dark chocolate might have some beneficial effects on blood vessels and lowering blood pressure, but as yet no study has investigated the long-terms clinical effects.� She added that the benefits of cocoa lie in its dark, concentrated form, which is 'rarely tolerable in large amounts'.
�We are certainly not suggesting people never eat chocolate. Everyone can enjoy a treat from time to time. But there are much better ways of improving your heart health,� Ross said. Agreeing with her was Dr Nieca Goldberg of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
�Before we can say cocoa can save your life, a larger study would need to be done. This study is not generalizable to the public because it was done in men over the age of 65 years,� she said.
The findings of the study have been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Previous article
