Is chocolate good for your heart? Finally the FDA has an answer – kind of

 

Is chocolate good for your heart? Finally the FDA has an answer – kind of

Transcript¹

There's plenty of mystique tied to chocolate. Over the centuries, cocoa has been touted² as an aphrodisiac and a health elixir³. The Mayans even used cocoa as a form of cash and buried their aristocrats⁴ with it. It appears they believed that "it helped people get into the afterlife and survive in the afterlife," says Nat Bletter, an ethnobotanist and chocolate-maker⁵.

As myths have evolved over cocoa's several thousand year history as a food, so too has the scientific pursuit to understand how it may influence our health. Cocoa contains lots of bioactive compounds called flavanols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In recent years, studies have shown the flavanols in cocoa can help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.

Back in 2018, a company that manufactures chocolate and cocoa products, Barry Callebaut AG Switzerland, petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow the use of a health claim on labels, pointing to the link between the consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Now, after an exhaustive review of studies, the FDA has responded.

In early February, the agency gave a green light to use certain, limited health claims on products made with high-flavanol cocoa powder. But, the agency says there's not enough evidence to support claims on regular chocolate, the kind most of us consume. Perhaps that's because some of the more convincing research comes from studies of cocoa flavanol supplements, not candy.

Take, for instance, the Cosmos⁶ trial, which included more than 20,000 men and women, aged⁷ 60 and older. Participants in the study agreed to consume 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols, in the form of capsules, each day for several years to test whether it may help reduce the risk of heart disease. It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo⁸-controlled trial, so participants didn't know if they were being given cocoa flavanols or a placebo.

"We did see promising⁹ signals for prevention of cardiovascular disease events," explains Dr. JoAnn Manson of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and one of the authors of the study. Overall, there was not a statistically¹⁰ significant decrease in heart attacks or strokes among participants taking the cocoa supplements, but fewer of them died from heart disease. "We actually saw a 27% reduction in cardiovascular disease deaths," says Manson. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last summer, and researchers hope to replicate¹¹ the findings with continued research.

Scientists have honed in on a particular mechanism¹² that helps explain how chocolate can influence our cardiovascular systems. The bio-active flavanols in cocoa can prompt the production of more nitric oxide¹³, a gas which causes our blood vessels¹⁴ to open up — or dilate¹⁵. "Vasodilation seems to be the mechanism for lowering of blood pressure and what appears to be signals for reduction in cardiovascular events," Manson says.

But – bad news for chocoholics – she says these findings should not be interpreted as an invitation to eat more chocolate given candy bars contain sugar, fat and calories. "We found in the Women's Health Initiative that eating chocolate several times a week, just regular chocolate candy, did lead to weight gain," Manson says. And excess weight is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

How To Savor¹⁶ Chocolate Like A Cocoa Expert

So, where does that leave us, the chocolate-loving public?

Despite dozens of published studies evaluating the links between chocolate and health, the FDA's assessment¹⁷ is that, as of now, the science is still inconclusive. It's pretty clear that the compounds in cocoa are good for us, but we may not get enough of them when we consume highly-processed, sweetened chocolate candy bars.

Perhaps this is why the newly approved health claims are limited and confusing. Here's one example: "Cocoa flavanols in high flavanol cocoa powder may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, although the FDA has concluded that there is very limited scientific evidence for this claim.""How is a consumer going to interpret that?" asks nutrition scientist Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University. He says a health claim like this is unlikely to be helpful.

One of the challenges, he says, is that it's nearly impossible to do the kind of study that could prove whether a given amount of chocolate reduces heart disease. For starters, scientists would need to recruit thousands of people, half of whom would have to agree to eat chocolate every day for many years. The other half would need to agree to never eat chocolate. "Who would sign up for that?" Gardner asks.

For now, when people ask him if chocolate is healthy, his response is, "compared to what?" If you're deciding between jelly beans and dark chocolate, then dark chocolate is better, he says, given the flavanols. "The jelly bean is basically just sugar," Gardner says. His take, as a chocolate lover himself, is that it's good to slow down and savor small amounts.

Some manufacturers have started marketing¹⁸ chocolate products that are higher in flavanols, even as high as 200 mg per serving. The FDA says that to be able to make a health claim, cocoa products should have at least 4% of naturally conserved¹⁹ cocoa flavanols. But these chocolates may well taste more bitter than most of us typically enjoy.

In Europe, chocolate maker Barry Callebaut, the company that petitioned the FDA, is already allowed to use a health claim on dark chocolate products stating that cocoa flavanols have a positive impact on blood flow. The company calls the FDA's action in the U.S. a "major milestone²⁰" in the development of cocoa as an ingredient that could be blended or added to a range of products. "This presents an opportunity to develop and enhance better-for-you products leveraging²¹ high-flavanol cocoa powder, especially in the (sports) beverage²² and protein mix categories," wrote Hugo Van Der Goes, Vice²³ President Cocoa North America at Barry Callebaut, in a statement. Callebaut already sells a cocoa powder that the company says qualifies for the new health claim.

Some chocolate lovers may push back against the idea of sports drinks infused with cocoa. Nat Bletter, who operates Madre Chocolate in Hawaii, and makes a minimally-processed chocolate, high in antioxidants, says while some chocolate connoisseurs²⁴ are interested in health benefits, others are all about the taste. "They sometimes want to feel like they're sinning a little bit when they're eating chocolate," he says. He likes to help his customers get the most out of every bite by using all their senses when they eat chocolate. "Don't just taste it," Bletter says. "You can smell it before you put it in your mouth." And you don't have to chew it right away. "Let it melt on your tongue and see if you can get all the different flavors," he says.

Just like wine, chocolate can have lots of unique and interesting flavors, so the aim is to relish²⁵ it.

"People need to have some fun and enjoy it," Gardner says and not get too hung up on the evidence for, or against health claims.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

3 elixir   

n.长生不老药，万能药

参考例句：

• There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。
• Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。

4 aristocrats   

n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many aristocrats were killed in the French Revolution. 许多贵族在法国大革命中被处死。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• To the Guillotine all aristocrats! 把全部贵族都送上断头台！ 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 cosmos   

n.宇宙；秩序，和谐

参考例句：

• Our world is but a small part of the cosmos.我们的世界仅仅是宇宙的一小部分而已。
• Is there any other intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos?在宇宙的其他星球上还存在别的有智慧的生物吗？

7 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

8 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 statistically   

ad.根据统计数据来看，从统计学的观点来看

参考例句：

• The sample of building permits is larger and therefore, statistically satisfying. 建筑许可数的样本比较大，所以统计数据更令人满意。
• The results of each test would have to be statistically independent. 每次试验的结果在统计上必须是独立的。

11 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。

12 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

13 oxide   

n.氧化物

参考例句：

• Oxide is usually seen in our daily life.在我们的日常生活中氧化物很常见。
• How can you get rid of this oxide coating?你们该怎样除去这些氧化皮？

14 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 dilate   

vt.使膨胀，使扩大

参考例句：

• At night,the pupils dilate to allow in more light.到了晚上，瞳孔就会扩大以接收更多光线。
• Exercise dilates blood vessels on the surface of the brain.运动会使大脑表层的血管扩张。

16 savor   

vt.品尝，欣赏；n.味道，风味；情趣，趣味

参考例句：

• The soup has a savor of onion.这汤有洋葱味。
• His humorous remarks added a savor to our conversation.他幽默的话语给谈话增添了风趣。

17 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

18 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

19 conserved   

v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He conserved his energy for the game. 他为比赛而养精蓄锐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Under these conditions, the total mechanical energy remains constant, or is conserved. 在这种条件下，总机械能保持不变或机械能保存。 来自辞典例句

20 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

21 leveraging   

促使…改变( leverage的现在分词 )； [美国英语]杠杆式投机，（使）举债经营，（使）利用贷款进行投机

参考例句：

• De-leveraging is a painful process: it has barely begun. 去杠杆化是个痛苦的过程：它才刚刚开始。
• Archimedes said, saying: Give me a fulcrum, I can leveraging the Earth. 阿基米德说过一句话：给我一个支点，我可以撬动地球。

22 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

23 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

24 connoisseurs   

n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Let us go, before we offend the connoisseurs. 咱们走吧，免得我们惹恼了收藏家。 来自辞典例句
• The connoisseurs often associate it with a blackcurrant flavor. 葡萄酒鉴赏家们通常会将它跟黑醋栗口味联系起来。 来自互联网

25 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。