Is chocolate really good for the heart? Chinese epidemiologists analyzed eight studies to see if cocoa polyphenols in dark chocolate can lower cholesterol. What they found is that these compounds lower bad LDL cholesterol by approximately 6 points and lowered total cholesterol by nearly that much. Unfortunately, the best-designed studies did not show a significant effect. The scientists also caution that the cholesterol-lowering benefit was seen only in people at risk of heart disease, and that the effective dose was quite low. Benefits disappear at higher doses. The authors call for more and better studies of chocolate’s impact on blood lipids and cardiovascular risk.
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online, May 26, 2010]
