Chocolate combats stroke?
chocolate stroke risk. That's one of the conclusions from a review of studies on chocolate and stroke published today in the medical journal Neurology. Another is that chocolate may help your chances of surviving a stroke if you do suffer one. chocolate heart health,
Scientists examined the effect on stroke victims of flavonoids, a specific type of antioxidant found in chocolate, especially dark varieties. The substance is also found in certain fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine. It's already known to have other health benefits, possibly reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.antioxidant rich foods,
In one study of more than 44,000 Americans, researchers found that those who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke than those who ate no chocolate.
A separate experiment involving more than 1,100 people in Sweden found that those who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die from stroke than others who didn't treat themselves to chocolate. But a third study found no link between chocolate and stroke.
"More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others," study author Sarah Sahib said in a release on the journal's Web site. Sahib, a researcher based at McMaster University in Canada, conducted the studies with scientists at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
Last year, another U.S. study found that eating dark chocolate can help lower emotional stress by reducing certain hormones and sparking other biochemical changes in the brain.
In the studies published today, the subjects did not identify what kind of chocolate they had eaten. "Milk chocolate or white chocolate or dark chocolate have completely different compositions," neurologist Gustavo Saposnik told the Canadian Press agency. Saposnik, based at St. Michael's Hospital, partnered with Sahib on the studies.
Saposnik warned that people shouldn't overdo it with heart-shaped chocolates this weekend. "Eating too much chocolate can make you fat, as chocolate also contains saturated fats," he told London's Daily Telegraph newspaper. "Further investigation needs to be done."
He and Sahib are scheduled to present their findings April 10 at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd annual meeting in Toronto.
Source: aolnews
