Low-fat recipes are a healthful way to enjoy the benefits of
chocolate.
by M ARGE PERRY
photos A N D Y LYO NS food styling JILL LU ST recipes LAURA M ARZEN
w h a t i s i t ?
Chocolate begins as beans from a tropical tree;
they’re dried,
ground, then blended with milk, sugar, and cocoa butter. Since chocolate
comes from a plant, it should he no surprise that some of the health benefits
resemble those of other types of produce. However, chocolate is high in
calories and fat, so eat it in moderation. One ounce of dark chocolate per
day (155 calories) is all you need to get the benefits.
why chocolate
is good for you
P ro v id e s p ro te ctio n
Choco late is high in flavonoids,
w hich are co m p o u nd s that
plants m anufacture to protect
them selves fro m disease and
dam age. Eating them will give
yo u the sam e benefits.
C o nsu m ing flavonoid-rich
foods m ay also reduce
inflam m ation in the arteries
leading to y o u r heart, keep
blood vessels open, w ard off
cancer, and raise good
cholesterol levels.
K e e p s y o u s m a r t A study
published this y e a r in the
Jo u rn al o f N utrition
show ed
that participants o ver age 7 0
w ho reported regularly
consum ing chocolate scored
higher on cognitive
perform ance tests. T h e m ore
they ate, the higher they
scored. Flavonoids in
chocolate that im prove blood
flow to the heart could be at
w ork, says Penny M. Kris-
Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., professor
o f nutrition at Penn State
University. “Again, it could be
blood flow to the brain, and I
have seen other im pressive
studies that show chocolate
flavonoids im proved blood
flow to the specific parts of
the brain that have to d o with
cognitive function.”
Could cut heart attacks
A recent article published
b y H arvard M edical School
said research ers in the U.S.
and Sw itzerland found a
possible link betw een
chocolate and a reduction in
blood clots. T h e study
suggests flavonoids in
chocolate m ay reduce the
form ation o f blood clots
responsible fo r m any heart
attacks and strokes.
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SEPTEMBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
