The Mayan Indians of Central America recognized the power of chocolate more than 3000 years ago. They liked the taste, but they also believed chocolate had healing properties. They used it as medicine, for fertility and spiritual guidance.
For the last few hundred years Americans have considered chocolate more devilish than divine. Desserts have names like “chocolate decadence,” “devil’s food cake” and of course, “death by chocolate.”
Despite its negative image, chocolate is still one of our favorite flavors. And scientists are discovering that the Mayans were right. Chocolate has surprising healing properties.
Researchers have identified antioxidant compounds in chocolate called flavonoids that have a variety of health benefits. A small study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA; May 1, 2002) demonstrated that certain kinds of cocoa rich in flavonoids help keep blood platelets from clumping together. This aspirin-like action may well reduce the risk of blood clots that could lead to heart attacks.
Another study in JAMA (Aug. 23, 2003) noted that dark chocolate lowered blood pressure in elderly hypertensive patients. While it’s doubtful chocolate could ever substitute for blood pressure medications, it is reassuring to know that it might be beneficial rather than harmful.
Besides reducing blood pressure, chocolate compounds seem to make blood vessels more flexible (J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June, 2004). Scientists believe that this is a plus for overall cardiovascular health.
More recently, researchers have reported that an ingredient in chocolate called theobromine may be more effective in controlling a persistent cough than traditional cough medicine containing codeine. Theobromine appears to calm the cough reflex, which is controlled in part by the vagus nerve.
Other exciting news about chocolate comes from Italy, where investigators noted recently that women who love chocolate are more likely to enjoy sex. These scientists questioned 163 women about their chocolate consumption and their love lives. The more chocolate a woman ate, the more likely she was to have a satisfying sex life. It’s not clear if this is a cause-and-effect relationship, but the researchers concluded that, “Chocolate can have a positive physiological impact on a woman’s sexuality.”
The biggest problem with overindulgence in chocolate is weight gain. Most chocolate desserts are rich in sugar and saturated fat, which makes them high in calories. Extra pounds would undo all the good that chocolate could do. Ingredients like margarine, butter and cream are not heart healthy.
It is possible, however, to enjoy the benefits of chocolate without bad fats. To help people enjoy cocoa compounds without excessive calories or unhealthy fats, we offer our 100-page book, Chocolate Without Guilt. It has recipes for low-fat chocolate desserts and guidelines on selecting high-flavonoid chocolate. To order a copy, please send $17.95 to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. CWG, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Chocolate may not be health food, but modern science is rediscovering what the ancient Mayans figured out long ago. Chocolate is good for the body and soul.
