Rania Batayneh, MPH
Rania Batayneh, MPH, nutritionist and wellness coach, Essential Nutrition, San Francisco. Visit her Web site at www.essentialnutritionforyou.com.
It was great news for many a few years ago, when research began to tout the health benefits of chocolate. Its antioxidant properties delivered redemption to chocoholics near and far — no matter that the health-giving potential was only linked to certain types of chocolate.
Well, of course the piper has to be paid: While research is showing that cocoa does indeed have health-giving properties, damage can be done if you eat too much of the high-fat, high-calorie variety. The result is still excess pounds and the higher risk of disease that accompanies them. The key, as with so many of life’s pleasures, is moderation. Studies demonstrate that tiny nibbles of dark chocolate — the type of chocolate that is richest in disease-fighting antioxidants called flavonoids — can increase blood flow, help artery function, lower blood pressure and boost brain function.
To learn more, I spoke with San Francisco nutritionist and wellness coach Rania Batayneh, MPH (www.essentialnutritionforyou.com). She re-affirmed that cocoa beans — like red wine, tea, grapes, pomegranates, acai berries, cranberries, strawberries, apples and many other fruits and vegetables — are excellent sources of flavonoids.
In particular…
Studies show that cocoa powder, dark chocolate and milk chocolate have even higher Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC is a measurement of antioxidant power) values than antioxidant stars such as prunes and blueberries.
If a little is good, a lot may be better — right? If only. Portion size is critical, says Batayneh. Though dark (including bittersweet and even semi-sweet) chocolate definitely is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate and hence is healthier, it also has lots of calories and should be savored in small quantities. In no way does this research condone regular indulgence in hot fudge sundaes and chocolate cake.
Batayneh recommends…