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Posted on Mar 16, 2005, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Another study on chocolate finds that the dark variety decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy people, lending weight to its potential for heart health. However an editorial suggests that studies in larger groups and in diabetic and hypertensive individuals are needed to confirm how chocolate benefits health.
Another study on chocolate finds that the dark variety decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy people, lending weight to its potential for heart health.
However an editorial suggests that studies in larger groups and in diabetic and hypertensive individuals are needed to confirm how chocolate benefits health. Researchers from the University of L'Aquila in Italy compared the effect of dark and white chocolate on blood pressure and glucose and insulin responses in 15 healthy individuals.
They were randomly assigned to receive either 100g of dark chocolate, which contained around 500mg polyphenols, or 90g white chocolate, which presumably contained no polyphenols, for 15 days. After a cocoa-free washout phase of seven days, the subjects were crossed over to the other condition.
HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance, was significantly lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion and insulin sensitivity was significantly higher after dark than after white chocolate ingestion, write the researchers in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol 81, no 3, 611-614).
Although within normal values, systolic blood pressure was lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion, they report.
However an editorial suggests that studies in larger groups and in diabetic and hypertensive individuals are needed to confirm how chocolate benefits health. Researchers from the University of L'Aquila in Italy compared the effect of dark and white chocolate on blood pressure and glucose and insulin responses in 15 healthy individuals.
They were randomly assigned to receive either 100g of dark chocolate, which contained around 500mg polyphenols, or 90g white chocolate, which presumably contained no polyphenols, for 15 days. After a cocoa-free washout phase of seven days, the subjects were crossed over to the other condition.
HOMA-IR, a measure of insulin resistance, was significantly lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion and insulin sensitivity was significantly higher after dark than after white chocolate ingestion, write the researchers in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol 81, no 3, 611-614).
Although within normal values, systolic blood pressure was lower after dark than after white chocolate ingestion, they report.
