Easter and chocolate eggs: they can be consumed without guilt, obviously in adequate quantities. The ideal is a daily dose of 20 g-30 g of dark chocolate with cocoa content above 70%, rather than milk or white chocolate. Dan Baumgardt, of the University of Bristol, reports on The Conversation portal for the dissemination of scientific research. There are other organs, besides the brain, that could benefit from the medicinal effects of cocoa. For centuries, chocolate has been used as a medicine to treat a long list of diseases including anemia, tuberculosis, gout and even low libido. While these may be questionable statements from a scientific point of view today, there is evidence to suggest that eating cocoa has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. First, it can prevent endothelial dysfunction. This is the process by which arteries harden and become loaded with fatty plaques, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Eating dark chocolate can also reduce blood pressure and prevent the formation of clots that block blood vessels.
Some studies have suggested that dark chocolate might be helpful in regulating high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios, which may help protect the heart. Others have looked at insulin resistance, a phenomenon associated with type 2 diabetes and weight gain.
They suggest that polyphenols found in food products such as chocolate may also lead to better blood sugar control. On the subject of toxicity, however, it is documented that the ingestion of caffeine and theobromine, present in chocolate, is highly toxic for pets. Dogs are particularly affected. It can cause symptoms of agitation, muscle stiffness and even seizures. In some cases, if ingested in large quantities, it can lead to coma and abnormal, even fatal, heart rhythms. However, it has been discovered that some of the compounds present in chocolate also have potentially negative effects on humans. Chocolate is in fact a source of oxalate which, together with calcium, is one of the main components of kidney stones.
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