CHOCOLATE CUTS DEATH RATE IN HEART ATTACK

Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from the heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, scientists have report . Smaller quantities confer less protection, but are still better than none according to the study, which appears in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Earlier research had establish a strong link between cocoa- based confection and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow

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Permalink Reply by Michael Barrick Aldridge on August 18, 2009 at 9:41

In your report - Eating chocolate two or more times per week was associated with a 66 per cent reduction in cardiac mortality, while less frequent consumption was also associated with smaller decreased risks, say the researchers in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
I would like to point out as a Nutrition based Chef that there are some caveats to be aware. All the people involved in the study, some 1,169 non-diabetic people, who were hospitalised after their first heart attack, participated in the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme and were Swedish nationals (European). After completing a questionnaire to assess chocolate consumption over the course of 12 months, the participants were then followed for a further eight years. All these participants were European and consuming European Chocolates. Importantly, Europe regulates Chocolate to a much higher degree than any other country in the world. In the European Union and Switzerland, milk chocolate has to contain a minimum of 25 per cent of cocoa solids, dark chocolate 35 per cent. The corresponding proportions in United States are 10 per cent and 15 per cent. It is conceivable and in line with previous research that the higher cocoa content is a major contributing factor, as highlighted in many other studies. Using Couverture with 70% plus cocoa solids is certainly indisputably more able to deliver health benefits of antioxidant-rich compounds, with positive findings from a number of studies impacting on consumer awareness. Chocolate manufacturers are using high cocoa content (over 70 per cent) as a means of differentiation in Europe, and cocoa has also received attention for its potential in many functional food applications.
According to the results from Sweden, consuming chocolate less than once per month, up to once per week and twice or more per week was associated with 27, 44, and 66 per cent reductions in cardiac mortality, respectively. It should also be noted that although the majority of the participants consumed Milk Chocolate during the 8 year study, this was Swedish Milk Chocolate, which contains a minimum of 30% Cocoa Solids.
Chocolate consumption was associated with lower cardiac mortality in a dose dependent manner in patients free of diabetes surviving their first acute myocardial infarction.
I hope all pastry chefs and good quality hotels and restaurants start to think more strategically about the importance of Nutrition based menus as a Marketing Positioning Statement, and therefore the use of high quality couverture in the making of desserts, confections and puddings will result in a net health benefit for guests, which can be directly marketed as a concept.
If any company is interested in my consulting services on Marketing Nutrition Based Benefits Menu Engineering, please contact me directly on michael@michael.aldridge.name