wr it e n e x t d oor with columnist Colleen D’Angelo
Let’s Choco ’Bout It
The ultimate dark chocolate and red wine taste test Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which makes me think of love, roses, chocolates and red wine. We know that love and sweet-smelling flowers are good for us, but what about the wine and chocolate? Well, there is good news and bad news. Let’s begin with the positive. Chocolate comes from the cacao plant, which contains high levels of minerals and antioxidants. Cacao is full of flavanols, the chemical compounds found in many vegetables and fruits that have health benefits, notably for heart health. Flavanols help produce nitric oxide which helps blood vessels to relax and blood pressure to lower. Improvements have also been found in brain health, especially the regions of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Now to ruin the fun. Although cocoa flavanols look promising for reducing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular events, the cocoa supplement and multivitamin Outcomes study (COSMOS) makes no conclusive link between cocoa and a decreased risk of clinical heart attacks. Even if dark chocolate contains important minerals like iron, zinc, copper, phosphorus and magnesium, there are only very small amounts of these minerals in dark chocolate compared to other foods. It is also important to note that chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar. Still, dark chocolate, which has
larger amounts of cacao and less sugar, is a better choice than milk chocolate. When choosing a healthy dark chocolate for eating, there are many qualities to look for on the label. You will want a high cacao content and a low sugar content, with no added flavors or preservatives. Check for a bar that is at least 70 percent dark chocolate and organic is best as the cacao plant is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Okay, now onto the red wine theories. According to the Mayo Clinic, red wine in moderation has long been thought to be heart healthy. Links between red wine and a reduced risk of heart attacks aren’t completely understood but the antioxidants in red wine may increase levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. Polyphenols are an antioxidant in red wine that may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. A polyphenol called resveratrol might also help prevent damage to blood vessels, prevent blood clots and reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol. More research is needed on resveratrol however, as studies are mixed on whether it actually lowers the risk of inflammation and blood clotting. Doctors also do not recommend that you start drinking alcohol for heart benefits, as the risks of drinking can outweigh the benefits. For now, moderation is key with red wine, and dark chocolate should be considered a treat or small indulgence where you enjoy every morsel. In the name of research and unbiased journalism, our family conducted a red wine and dark chocolate taste test. I
“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” - Charles Dickens 42 • February/March 2021
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