Chocolate may cut heart disease in smokers

Researchers at the Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital, Zurich have published evidence that dark chocolate may help to reduce the risk of serious heart disease in smokers.

The research found that consuming a few squares of dark chocolate a day may help to combat hardening and narrowing of arteries caused by their habit.

The researchers used 25 male smokers in the study to compare the effects of dark chocolate and white chocolate on the smoothness of blood flow in their arteries.

The study subjects had to abstain for 24 hours from any other foods that are rich in beneficial antioxidants, then eat 40g of Nestle SA's Nestle Noir Intense, which is 74 percent cocoa, after fasting for 8 hours and a smoke free interval of at least 30 minutes. After 2 hours they underwent ultrasound scans that showed that dark chocolate signigicantly improved the smoothness of arterial flow, with the effect lasting for 8 hours. Blood samples also showed that their platelet activity had been almost halved.

The white chocolate, Nestle's Galak white chocolate which is 4 percent cocoa, had no effect when tested, and researchers are convinced that it is the high antioxidant content of the dark chocolate which is contained in more per gram than any other food or drink.

The British Heart Foundation sounded a note of warning, "...Whilst dark chocolate is higher in anti-oxidants, all forms of chocolate are very high in calories (typically about 500 calories per 100g) and contain an average 30% total fat... And whatever they eat, the biggest step the smokers in this study could make to reduce their risk of heart disease would be to give up."

The research is published in the journal Heart.