 Is chocolate really healthy?
Cacao: Antioxidant Super Food
Many people don't realize that
unprocessed Cacao is the highest source of antioxidants in
the world, and that Googling "cacao" and "health" will
return over a million results. And it's not just NBC, CNN,
and CBS that are reporting on the healthy benefits of
chocolate, it's medical professionals, scientists, and
researches. So eat more chocolate! Not so fast. Most
commercial chocolate is anything but unprocessed. Chocolate
treats found on store shelves lose their healthy benefits
from over processing such as dutching and roasting, and most
store brands add unhealthy processed sugar, milk, fats,
fillers, waxes and preservatives.
Xoçai™ is Healthy Chocolate
Our Healthy Chocolate is produced with
pure unprocessed cacao that is blanched, unfermented,
sun-dried, non-roasted, non-alkalized, non-lecithinized, and
coldpressed. Because these proprietary processes are closely
monitored, Xoçai™. delivers the maximum amount of
antioxidants naturally found in unprocessed cacao.
Antioxidants. Just as
they sound, antioxidants are chemicals that prevent
oxidation of other compounds.
Oxidation. Think about
bananas turning brown or metal rusting, both are results of
oxidation; a process of adding oxygen to a compound. This
process can produce "free radicals" molecules, which is an
atom with an unpaired electron.
Science has taught us that oxidation
occurs in our bodies naturally and certain behaviors can
intensify the process such as smoking, pollution, poor diet,
and unchecked exposure to the sun. But science has also
shown that we can defend against oxidation or Free Radical
damage with Antioxidants.
Health Benefits of Cacao.
In our bodies antioxidants can react with free radicals to
make them more stable and less likely to cause damage to our
lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Damage to these vital
molecules has been linked to many common health issues and
chronic diseases. Our bodies can defend against oxidation,
but this ability declines with age. Eating antioxidant-rich
foods can enhance our natural defenses. A few plant-based
foods meet this criteria and are distinguished by their high
polyphenol content.
A subclass of polyphenols are flavonoids
that are found abundantly in cacao. Research on flavonoids
make them well-known for their antioxidant characteristics,
their help in supporting the immune system, and their
positive effect on the health of the cardiovascular system.
ORAC. Oxygen Radical
Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a standard for quantitating a
food's ability to offset the harmful effects of free
radicals. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the Journal of the American Chemical Society dark
chocolate tops the list for ORAC on a per serving basis.
Brunswick Labs. The
Brunswick Labs Certification Program is a third party and
independent laboratory test performed on Xoçai™ products
three times a year that certify the ORAC and Flavonoid
values displayed on Xoçai™'s product packaging.
"The Brunswick Labs Seal assures
consumers that they are getting one of nature's premiere
antioxidant-rich foods." - Brunswick Labs
Conclusion:
Cacao is
abundantly rich in Flavonoids.
All-natural unprocessed cacao is
healthier than commercially processed chocolate.
Xoçai™ Healthy Chocolate is raw
unprocessed chocolate that maintains cacao's natural
Flavonoids.
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References
Engler MB, et al. Flavonoid-rich
chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma
epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J Am Coll Nutr
2004 23: 197-204.
Fisher ND, et al . Flavanol-rich cocoa
induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy
humans. J Hypertens 2003 21:2281-6.
Grassi D, et al. 2005a. Cocoa reduces
blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves
endothelium-dependent vasodilation in hypertensives.
Hypertension 2005 46: 1-8.
Grassi D, et al. 2005b. Short-term
administration of dark chocolate is followed by a
significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease
in blood pressure in healthy persons. Am J Clin Nutr 2005
81:611-4.
Gu L, et al. Procyanidin (PC) content and
total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of chocolate and cocoa
products. FASEB J 2005;19:A1032:Abstract#598.20.
Heiss C, et al. Vascular effects of cocoa
rich in flavan-3-ols. JAMA 2003 290:1030-1.
Kondo K et al. Inhibition of LDL
oxidation by cocoa. Lancet 1996 348:1514.
Osakabe N et al. Catechins and their
oligomers linked by C4 - C8 bonds are major cacao
polyphenols and protect low-density lipoprotein from
oxidation in vitro. Exp Biol Med 2002 227:51-6.
Osakabe N et al. Daily cocoa intake
reduces the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to
oxidation as demonstrated in healthy volunteers. Free Radic
Res 2001 34:93-9.
Pearson DA et al. The effects of flavanol-rich
cocoa and aspirin on ex vivo platelet function. 2002. Thromb
Res 106 :191-7.
Rein D et al. Cocoa inhibits platelet
activation and function. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 72 :30-5.
Taubert D, et al. Chocolate and blood
pressure in elderly individuals with isolated systolic
hypertension. JAMA 2003 290:1029-30.
Vita JA. Polyphenols and cardiovascular
disease: effects on endothelial and platelet function. Am J
Clin Nutr 2005 81:292S-7S.
Wan Y et al. Effects of cocoa powder and
dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and
prostaglandin concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2001
74 :596-602.
Wang JF et al. A dose-response effect
from chocolate consumption on plasma epicatechin and
oxidative damage. J Nutr 2000 130 :2115S-9S.
Weisburger JH. Chemopreventive effects of
cocoa polyphenols on chronic diseases. Exp Biol Med 2001
226: 891-7.
Wu X, et al. Lipophilic and hydrophilic
antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States.
J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:4026-37.
These statements have not been evaluated
by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The information provided on this site is intended for your
general knowledge only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice or treatment for specific
medical conditions. Always seek the advice of your physician
or other qualified health care provider with any questions
you may have regarding a medical condition. |
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