Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a promising 2012 study of cocoa on our cardiovascular health. The study is a meta-analysis, meaning that it combines the results of several independent trials. It looked at many different factors to do with our cardiovascular health such as blood pressure, lipid (fat) profiles, fasting blood sugar/insulin, inflammatory mediators and the proper functioning of our blood vessels.

The results showed that when eaten on an ongoing basis, there was an improvement seen in the ability of blood vessels to function properly, a decrease in fasting insulin and a decrease in insulin after glucose challenge tests. There was also a small decrease in blood pressure (diastolic) and “bad” cholesterol. There were no significant effects on CRP (an inflammatory marker), total cholesterol or systolic blood pressure (hey, you can’t win ’em all) and there was insufficient information (or too few trials) to determine the effect on body weight, body mass index and waist circumference.

So what does this mean? Overall, it seems that eating chocolate might have some positive benefits for our health (yippee!) but this is not permission to run out to your local gas station and fill up on your favourite candy bars! These positive results come from good quality cocoa and definitely not from the junk (sugar, bad fats, chemicals) that is found in candy bars – these, of course, have the opposite effect. So if you’re looking for permission to eat a bit of chocolate here and there, here it is, but make sure you’re getting the good stuff! 

Go for chocolate that contains the most cocoa and the least amount of sugar. The darker the chocolate  the better (eg. 70 or 85% cocoa), as well, the less sugar and other questionable ingredients the better. If you are a milk chocolate lover it may take some time for you to acquire a taste for darker, richer chocolate, but many people find they feel more satisfied with a small amount (they don’t feel the need to eat the whole bar!).

So go ahead and spoil your sweetheart with some chocolate this Valentine’s day!

For more information see:

Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.- Hooper L -Am J Clin Nutr- 01-MAR-2012; 95(3): 740-51