Chocolate has been in the limelight lately because it has been believed to possess properties that protect the cardiovascular system. As chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean, it is rich in plant nutrients like flavonoids that are potent antioxidants.
Flavonoids help protect plants from environmental toxins and help repair damage. Hence, when ingested in the body, they protect the cells of the body from damage caused by environmental toxins called free radicals.
Free radicals cause due damage to every cell in the body through oxidative stress. They are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke, pollution and smog. When this happens, many body processes are affected and it causes premature aging. Antioxidants protect the cells from this type of stress and damage. When the body lacks the amount of antioxidants, it can cause damage to the cells and increased oxidation of healthy cells.
Thus, increase in oxidation can cause an increase in the body's bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein. When the cells are oxidized, the body regards them as foreign bodies and macrophages would engulf them. They now attach to the arterial walls causing atherosclerosis that might lead to various cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, heart disease and other related diseases.
Cocoa and chocolate contain flavanols which is a type of flavonoids. Aside from antioxidant properties, it can also influence vascular health. It can reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow to the heart and brain, and make platelets less sticky.
However, it is vital to understand that not all types of chocolates are healthy. Cocoa is naturally strong and has a pungent taste because of flavanols. When they are processed, it undergoes many processes to alter its taste. Hence, the more it is processed, the lesser the effects of flavanols.
Of course, commercially-produced chocolates are processed. However, dark chocolates are regarded as healthy. The good news is, more and more chocolate companies are making ways on how to preserve the flavanol content of chocolates to be able to preserve its potency and efficacy.