Dark Chocolate

[Guest guest]

Tamara Tornado wrote:

> Actually, I think I'm allergic to chocolate.... I feel better without

> it... but I sure crave it..... But here's the story....

Hi Tamara,

Well thank you indeed, I now see why I consider dark chocolate a food

group :-)) It is my fabourite way to end a meal.

Namaste,

Irene

--

Irene de Villiers, B.Sc; AASCA; MCSSA; D.I.Hom.

P.O.Box 4703, Spokane, WA 99220-0703.

http://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html

Veterinary Homeopath and Feline Information Counsellor.

[Guest guest]

The latest in chronic fatigue syndrome symptom control? 45 grams of dark chocolate a day. The effect was small, but the trial seems to have been quite well-designed, with blinding and a washout and crossover design. The BBC reports:

Patients in a pilot study found they had less fatigue when eating dark chocolate with a high cocoa content than with white chocolate dyed brown.

Researchers from Hull York Medical School said the results were surprising but dark chocolate may be having an effect on the brain chemical serotonin.

I worked with a lipid physiologist back in the eighties who was trying to get the message across to the world that real chocolate, despite tasting terrific, isn’t sheer biochemical evil. A large body of work has now been published showing the health benefits of moderate amounts of dark chocolate. So why do most people still seem to consider “chocolate” the ultimate in junk food, intrinsically “sinful”?

Ditch the trans fats if you want to ditch a family of fats, grab a bar of Lindt, and enjoy.

http://viv.id.au/blog/20071002.994/just-a-spoonful-of-polyphenols/

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Certain polyphenols in cocoa and chocolate are thought to have an anti-oxidant effect, just like the polyphenols in red wine. Studies on this are proceeding apace and show promising results. For example the flavonoids present in cocoa may counteract the oxidation which turns good cholesterol (HDL) into bad cholesterol (LDL). Scientists even suggest that cocoa flavonoids might have a stronger anti-oxidant effect than the flavonoids found in red wine. Cocoa polyphenols may also protect the body against substances which damage the immune system, causing rheumatism and arthritis. Many of these studies were carried out in Japan, and additional research will be needed before definitive statements can be made. Scientific studies show that certain polyphenols in cocoa may render harmless the free radicals which affect DNA in body cells. In addition, they may neutralize other free radicals which cause cancer. Further research is needed into these scientific indications.Cocoa and chocolate contain stearic acid. This unique saturated fatty acid has a neutral effect on the production of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, even with daily moderate consumption. The same studies show that the stearic acid in chocolate can promote the production of moderate quantities of “good” cholesterol in some test subjects.Cocoa mass refers to the chocolate's purity. The darker the chocolate, the higher the cocoa mass, and the less diluted it is by milk, sugar and other additives.

http://www.longlife.com.au/?var_pages_id=7

just remember you DO NOT NEED to consume a lot.... go for the dark - bitter sweet 70 or 80% block, and eat a few small pieces each day

Chocolate may be Beneficial for Chronic Fatigue

by Sheryl Walters, citizen journalistSee all articles by this authorEmail this authorhttp://www.naturalnews.com/z025460_chocolate_chronic_fatigue_dark_chocolate.html(NaturalNews) Regularly consuming chocolate could be beneficial to those with chronic fatigue syndrome, according to a study at Hull York Medical School. People who suffered with the illness found that they had more energy when they consumed high cocoa content.

* Dark chocolate is a real surprise to most as being a healthy food. I'm glad its regarded as healthy to eat because I love the taste of it. It's a source of phytonutrients which act as an antioxidant that helps protect our DNA and inhibits the growth of unwanted blood vessels. Make sure you buy the right kind of dark chocolate, one that isn't as processed and has a high cacao content.http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=7403 & pst=837229Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that has a vast array of diverse symptoms; the primary one being exhaustion. Most chronic fatigue specialists advise their clients to avoid chocolate because of the caffeine and sugar it contains.Professor Steve Atkin, who led the study, said he had clients who reported feeling much better after swapping normal milk chocolate for dark chocolate with a high cocoa solid content. This sparked him to investigate further.The trial consisted of 10 patients who received 45g of dark chocolate or white chocolate dyed to look like dark chocolate everyday for two months. After the month was over, they avoided chocolate for one month and then began taking the other type of chocolate for two months.When the patients were taking a daily dose of dark chocolate, they reported significantly less fatigue, but felt the fatigue return when they stopped eating it.Atkin was surprised at what good results were achieved. "Although it was a small study, two patients went back to work after being off for six months."He explained: "Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, which have been associated with health benefits such as a reduction in blood pressure. Also high polyphenols appear to improve levels of serotonin in the brain, which has been linked with chronic fatigue syndrome and that may be a mechanism."Although more research was needed to confirm the findings, Atkin said that patients would not do themselves any harm by eating small amounts of dark chocolate. He added that no one in the study put on any weight.Chronic fatigue is a very complex illness with many different causes including food intolerances, Candida, heavy metals and parasites. There is no single cure that works for everyone, and most people require quite a few lifestyle changes along with herbs, nutrients and detoxing.Because of this, chronic fatigue specialists warn against believing that eating chocolate daily is going to completely solve the problem.Most importantly, consuming chocolate with sugar in it should be generally avoided by everyone, especially those with a disabling illness.Raw ChocolateWhile dark chocolate is high in antioxidants and other nutrients, raw chocolate is even more potent since none of the nutrients have been destroyed through heating and processing. Further, raw chocolate is sugar free. Most people make raw chocolate with agave nectar, stevia or xylitol. All of these are fine in moderation for those with chronic fatigue syndrome because they don`t create blood sugar imbalances and they don`t feed the imbalances like sugar does.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7...http://www.prohealth.com/library/sh...