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14 February 12
Romance Me with Chocolate! Move over wine and flowers, there is another aphrodisiac to compete for winning my heart this Valentine’s Day – chocolate! What is it about chocolate that makes us so darn happy and perhaps, “in the mood?” It’s probably a combination of factors - naturally occurring psychoactive molecules (how’s that for a money word?) combined with a delightful texture and flavor. If you are looking for chocolate with the highest concentration of healthful and psychoactive molecules, then go for the darkest chocolate you can find. The cocoa mass or liquor is the source of the psychoactive, antioxidant, and nutrient content in chocolate – so chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa will have more of these beneficial molecules. 100% unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder will have the highest content of all.  Texture & Taste Don’t discount the sheer gustatory pleasure of consuming chocolate. It has as much to do with the enjoyment of chocolate as anything else. That luscious silky texture is partly due to its melting temperature of 95°F (35°C) – this is just under our average body temperature of 98.6°F (37°C). To get the best flavor, place chocolate in your mouth and hold it there for a few seconds. Once it starts to melt, your tongue in concert with a working nose, will allow you to perceive a range of flavors as well as experience the silky texture as you roll the chocolate around in your mouth before swallowing. Yes, heaven on earth.  Energizing Stimulants increase alertness, excitement, locomotion, and heart rate. Whereas coffee has enough caffeine to knock your socks off, dark chocolate has just enough to gently peel them off. Dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa) has about 23 mg caffeine per 1 oz serving compared to about 100 mg per cup of drip coffee. Cocoa also has another stimulant, theobromine, which is also responsible for making dogs very sick when they eat our not-well-enough-hidden stash of chocolate.PEA, a.k.a. “the love chemical” For those of you who swear by chocolate’s aphrodisiac properties, it could be the PEA (Phenylethylalanine) content that is revving your engine. PEA is a stimulant that can produce euphoria and satisfaction. It is chemically related to amphetamine. Antioxidants In addition to pleasure, chocolate is good for your heart health. Consuming cocoa flavonoids (polyphenols) helps reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow, lower LDLs, raise HDLs, and overall, lower risk of heart disease. But how much do we have to eat to see these health effects? Dr. Eric Ding posted (see MyNetDiary’s blog) that we would have to eat about 400-500 mg of dark chocolate every day to get enough flavonoids to see these health effects. However, there could still be some benefit to consuming small amounts of chocolate daily, as Taubert et al. reported in “Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide” (JAMA, 7/4/07). In their small study, they saw reduced blood pressure in folks with hypertension with only 6.3 grams (1/4 oz) of dark chocolate consumed daily for 18 weeks.  Nutrients Surprise! Per ounce, dark chocolate is a good source of iron (3.4 mg or 19% DV), copper (0.5 mg or 25% DV), and dietary fiber (3 g). Although dark chocolate is high in saturated fat, studies have shown that it does not promote heart disease or raise LDL levels. This is in part related to the type of saturated fat in cocoa - stearic acid.Milk vs. White vs. Dark Milk chocolate has less cocoa and more added sugars and fats (e.g. milk fat) than dark chocolate – which is going in the wrong direction for heart health. White chocolate has no cocoa at all, only cocoa butter and added ingredients. So, for a sweet that is packed with the most healthful molecules, go with dark chocolate with the highest cocoa content you can find.   Try pairing a dark chocolate (e.g. 85% cocoa) with fruit and champagne to start your Valentine’s Day evening off right – with or without your true love! Your brain and your heart will thank you for it.   Have questions or comments about this post? Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you! Best,Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiaryMore Resources Jim Spadaccini. Exploratorium, Exploring Online. The Sweet Lure of Chocolate. Freemantle, M. What’s That Stuff? CENEAR. 2000;78(49):82. Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Romance Me with Chocolate!

Move over wine and flowers, there is another aphrodisiac to compete for winning my heart this Valentine’s Day – chocolate! What is it about chocolate that makes us so darn happy and perhaps, “in the mood?” It’s probably a combination of factors - naturally occurring psychoactive molecules (how’s that for a money word?) combined with a delightful texture and flavor. If you are looking for chocolate with the highest concentration of healthful and psychoactive molecules, then go for the darkest chocolate you can find. The cocoa mass or liquor is the source of the psychoactive, antioxidant, and nutrient content in chocolate – so chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa will have more of these beneficial molecules. 100% unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder will have the highest content of all.  

Texture & Taste

Don’t discount the sheer gustatory pleasure of consuming chocolate. It has as much to do with the enjoyment of chocolate as anything else. That luscious silky texture is partly due to its melting temperature of 95°F (35°C) – this is just under our average body temperature of 98.6°F (37°C). To get the best flavor, place chocolate in your mouth and hold it there for a few seconds. Once it starts to melt, your tongue in concert with a working nose, will allow you to perceive a range of flavors as well as experience the silky texture as you roll the chocolate around in your mouth before swallowing. Yes, heaven on earth.  

Energizing

Stimulants increase alertness, excitement, locomotion, and heart rate. Whereas coffee has enough caffeine to knock your socks off, dark chocolate has just enough to gently peel them off. Dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa) has about 23 mg caffeine per 1 oz serving compared to about 100 mg per cup of drip coffee. Cocoa also has another stimulant, theobromine, which is also responsible for making dogs very sick when they eat our not-well-enough-hidden stash of chocolate.

PEA, a.k.a. “the love chemical”
For those of you who swear by chocolate’s aphrodisiac properties, it could be the PEA (Phenylethylalanine) content that is revving your engine. PEA is a stimulant that can produce euphoria and satisfaction. It is chemically related to amphetamine.

Antioxidants

In addition to pleasure, chocolate is good for your heart health. Consuming cocoa flavonoids (polyphenols) helps reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow, lower LDLs, raise HDLs, and overall, lower risk of heart disease. But how much do we have to eat to see these health effects? Dr. Eric Ding posted (see MyNetDiary’s blog) that we would have to eat about 400-500 mg of dark chocolate every day to get enough flavonoids to see these health effects. However, there could still be some benefit to consuming small amounts of chocolate daily, as Taubert et al. reported in “Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide” (JAMA, 7/4/07). In their small study, they saw reduced blood pressure in folks with hypertension with only 6.3 grams (1/4 oz) of dark chocolate consumed daily for 18 weeks.  

Nutrients

Surprise! Per ounce, dark chocolate is a good source of iron (3.4 mg or 19% DV), copper (0.5 mg or 25% DV), and dietary fiber (3 g). Although dark chocolate is high in saturated fat, studies have shown that it does not promote heart disease or raise LDL levels. This is in part related to the type of saturated fat in cocoa - stearic acid.

Milk vs. White vs. Dark

Milk chocolate has less cocoa and more added sugars and fats (e.g. milk fat) than dark chocolate – which is going in the wrong direction for heart health. White chocolate has no cocoa at all, only cocoa butter and added ingredients. So, for a sweet that is packed with the most healthful molecules, go with dark chocolate with the highest cocoa content you can find.  

Try pairing a dark chocolate (e.g. 85% cocoa) with fruit and champagne to start your Valentine’s Day evening off right – with or without your true love! Your brain and your heart will thank you for it.  

Have questions or comments about this post? Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

More Resources

Jim Spadaccini. Exploratorium, Exploring Online. The Sweet Lure of Chocolate.

Freemantle, M. What’s That Stuff? CENEAR. 2000;78(49):82.

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

9 February 12
Six Scientifically Validated Nutritional Tips for Heart Health: with Dr. Eric Ding Guest post for MyNetDiary by Dr. Eric Ding  February is National Heart Month I believe in the importance of evidence-based translational medicine. There is so much fluff and false claims in the nutrition world that I want to make sure all claims are justified with strong body of consistently supported scientific evidence. I’m an epidemiologist and nutritionist - so I like to focus on evidence-based medicine in the realm of disease prevention, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Long-running research from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition have established that over 82% of total heart disease in American woman are likely due to lifestyle factors, most notably poor nutrition. Indeed, nutrition is one of the major clusters of risk factors that cause heart disease. However, what 10 nutritional factors could we highlight for people to improve their health? Let’s list a few and discuss. 1) I rank sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) as one of the worst causes of heart disease. But it’s not the sugar per se, but rather liquid sugar intake such as in soda and sweetened juices, because liquid sugar is partially “invisible” to our hunger control system.Indeed, the difference between liquid sugar and solid sugar is best seen in an experiment between sugary beverages vs. jelly beans (with same number of calories). While jelly bean eaters become full and ate less food later in the day, liquid sugar drinkers were not fully satiated and become hungrier sooner and consumed more calories at the end of the day (compared to solid sugar eaters). This is why sugary beverages (but not sugar) are inherently dangerous (Read my recent piece for more info). For the same reason, parents should not give too much SSB to their children. 2) Additionally, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables is another major cause of heart disease in America. Only a small segment of the population gets 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day — and this actually includes French fries, which nutritionists don’t really consider a vegetable (But how did the starch French fries get classified as vegetable by the USDA? It’s not hard to imagine what industry group had successfully lobbied USDA for the ‘French fry’ vegetable classification).  3) Additionally, beyond SSBs and French fries, generally, high glycemic load refined starches are a cause of heart disease. Therefore look for whole grains instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, and steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. And avoid mashed and baked potatoes - they have incredibly high glycemic index and glycemic load - they are equivalent to almost pure table sugar in spiking one’s blood sugar (and elevating heart disease risk). 4) Avoid trans-fats at all cost. Many years ago, before the nutrition and medical community realized the dangers, the emphasis had been on avoiding butter — and instead people were recommended to consume margarine instead back in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health discovered that trans-fats, high in margarine sticks, were even worse than the saturated fat in butter for increasing heart disease risk. This eventually led to trans-fat bans from restaurants in NYC, and then the rest of the country. Trans-fats are inherently bad for both their ability to increase bad LDL cholesterol, lower good HDL cholesterol, and increase inflammation - all of which increase heart disease substantially. Therefore, avoid it at all cost! 5) Avoid red and processed meats - which have been consistently shown to increase the risk of both Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. Processed meats also often have nitrites which exacerbate diabetes, which in itself is a strong causal factor for heart disease as well. Also keep in mind, that pork is a red meat, regardless of what advertising may try to persuade people otherwise. 6) Cocoa flavonoids are good against heart disease. In multiple systematic reviews of dozens of randomized trials, cocoa flavonoids are shown to lower BP, lower bad LDL, raise good HDL, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve blood flow. Recent reviews of multiple long term studies have also shown benefits for lowering heart disease. However, interestingly, the benefits in the trials were observed with doses of around 400-500 mg/day, equivalent of 33 bars of milk chocolate or 8 bars of dark chocolate. Thus, because it is unreasonable to consume so much calories and sugar and fat to achieve these levels of cocoa flavonoids through just chocolate bars alone… supplements of cocoa flavonoids are needed to achieve the benefits discovered (supplements available commercially, e.g. Cocoawell). The key is getting the benefits of cocoa flavonoids for heart disease while avoiding the calories, and for that, chocolate bars are not the solution - supplements may be the best option. About Eric Ding, MD: ERIC DING, a nutritionist and epidemiologist, is member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is also founder and Director of the Campaign for Cancer Prevention, and Director of Epidemiology for Microclinics International. His research primarily focuses on obesity and nutritional risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, as well as translation of research for population-wide prevention. His specific research expertise include: fatty acids, sex steroid hormones, and vitamin D. His broader research also encompasses social network effects on health, and population nutrition and global health disease burdens. After completing his undergraduate degree at The Johns Hopkins University with Honors in Public Health and election to Phi Beta Kappa, he earned his dual doctorate in epidemiology and doctorate in nutrition at age 23 from Harvard University. At Harvard, Eric has taught and lectured in more than a dozen graduate and undergraduate courses, for which he received the Derek Bok Distinction in Teaching Award from Harvard College. 

Six Scientifically Validated Nutritional Tips for Heart Health: with Dr. Eric Ding

Guest post for MyNetDiary by Dr. Eric Ding 

February is National Heart Month

I believe in the importance of evidence-based translational medicine. There is so much fluff and false claims in the nutrition world that I want to make sure all claims are justified with strong body of consistently supported scientific evidence. I’m an epidemiologist and nutritionist - so I like to focus on evidence-based medicine in the realm of disease prevention, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Long-running research from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition have established that over 82% of total heart disease in American woman are likely due to lifestyle factors, most notably poor nutrition. Indeed, nutrition is one of the major clusters of risk factors that cause heart disease. However, what 10 nutritional factors could we highlight for people to improve their health? Let’s list a few and discuss.

1) I rank sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) as one of the worst causes of heart disease. But it’s not the sugar per se, but rather liquid sugar intake such as in soda and sweetened juices, because liquid sugar is partially “invisible” to our hunger control system.Indeed, the difference between liquid sugar and solid sugar is best seen in an experiment between sugary beverages vs. jelly beans (with same number of calories). While jelly bean eaters become full and ate less food later in the day, liquid sugar drinkers were not fully satiated and become hungrier sooner and consumed more calories at the end of the day (compared to solid sugar eaters). This is why sugary beverages (but not sugar) are inherently dangerous (Read my recent piece for more info). For the same reason, parents should not give too much SSB to their children.

2) Additionally, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables is another major cause of heart disease in America. Only a small segment of the population gets 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day — and this actually includes French fries, which nutritionists don’t really consider a vegetable (But how did the starch French fries get classified as vegetable by the USDA? It’s not hard to imagine what industry group had successfully lobbied USDA for the ‘French fry’ vegetable classification). 

3) Additionally, beyond SSBs and French fries, generally, high glycemic load refined starches are a cause of heart disease. Therefore look for whole grains instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, and steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. And avoid mashed and baked potatoes - they have incredibly high glycemic index and glycemic load - they are equivalent to almost pure table sugar in spiking one’s blood sugar (and elevating heart disease risk).

4) Avoid trans-fats at all cost. Many years ago, before the nutrition and medical community realized the dangers, the emphasis had been on avoiding butter — and instead people were recommended to consume margarine instead back in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health discovered that trans-fats, high in margarine sticks, were even worse than the saturated fat in butter for increasing heart disease risk. This eventually led to trans-fat bans from restaurants in NYC, and then the rest of the country. Trans-fats are inherently bad for both their ability to increase bad LDL cholesterol, lower good HDL cholesterol, and increase inflammation - all of which increase heart disease substantially. Therefore, avoid it at all cost!

5) Avoid red and processed meats - which have been consistently shown to increase the risk of both Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. Processed meats also often have nitrites which exacerbate diabetes, which in itself is a strong causal factor for heart disease as well. Also keep in mind, that pork is a red meat, regardless of what advertising may try to persuade people otherwise.

6) Cocoa flavonoids are good against heart disease. In multiple systematic reviews of dozens of randomized trials, cocoa flavonoids are shown to lower BP, lower bad LDL, raise good HDL, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve blood flow. Recent reviews of multiple long term studies have also shown benefits for lowering heart disease. However, interestingly, the benefits in the trials were observed with doses of around 400-500 mg/day, equivalent of 33 bars of milk chocolate or 8 bars of dark chocolate. Thus, because it is unreasonable to consume so much calories and sugar and fat to achieve these levels of cocoa flavonoids through just chocolate bars alone… supplements of cocoa flavonoids are needed to achieve the benefits discovered (supplements available commercially, e.g. Cocoawell). The key is getting the benefits of cocoa flavonoids for heart disease while avoiding the calories, and for that, chocolate bars are not the solution - supplements may be the best option.

About Eric Ding, MD:

ERIC DING, a nutritionist and epidemiologist, is member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is also founder and Director of the Campaign for Cancer Prevention, and Director of Epidemiology for Microclinics International. His research primarily focuses on obesity and nutritional risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, as well as translation of research for population-wide prevention. His specific research expertise include: fatty acids, sex steroid hormones, and vitamin D. His broader research also encompasses social network effects on health, and population nutrition and global health disease burdens. After completing his undergraduate degree at The Johns Hopkins University with Honors in Public Health and election to Phi Beta Kappa, he earned his dual doctorate in epidemiology and doctorate in nutrition at age 23 from Harvard University. At Harvard, Eric has taught and lectured in more than a dozen graduate and undergraduate courses, for which he received the Derek Bok Distinction in Teaching Award from Harvard College. 

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