Researchers examined data from six previous studies with a total of 336,289 participants who provided information on their health and eating habits. During a median follow-up of nearly nine years, 14,043 participants developed coronary artery disease and 4,667 had a heart attack. “Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy,” says the lead study author, Chayakrit Krittanawong, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. This might be because chocolate — particularly the dark variety, per Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health— contains heart-healthy nutrients. Those nutrients include flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid which can help reduce inflammation and increase levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol that prevents plaque buildup in the arteries, Dr. Krittanawong and his team write. RELATED: 8 Healthy Reasons to Eat Dark Chocolate
Study Limitations May Mean Chocolate Alone Wasn’t Responsible for Better Heart Health
The study does have several limitations. For starters, it didn’t examine how much chocolate people ate each time they indulged or what type of chocolate they consumed. Fats, milk, or sugar in chocolate products, as well as total calories, could all impact whether this treat is actually a heart-healthy choice, the study authors point out. People with certain health conditions, like obesity or diabetes, might have to be more careful to limit sugars or calories in their diet, including any chocolate they eat, Krittanawong says. Another drawback of the study is that it didn’t account for other foods and beverages the participants consumed, or how much exercise they got. It’s certainly possible that people who ate more chocolate in the study had healthier eating habits or better workout routines that might explain why they were less likely to develop coronary artery disease. “Chocolate appears promising for prevention of coronary artery disease, but more research is needed to pinpoint how much and what kind of chocolate could be recommended,” Krittanawong says. RELATED: 8 Healthy, Delicious Chocolate Bars That Registered Dietitians Recommend
Diet, Exercise Can Help Prevent Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease, is the most common type of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This condition can be a silent killer — people sometimes don’t know they have it until after they have a heart attack. It develops over time when plaque (deposits of cholesterol and other fats and substances) accumulates in the walls of the arteries supplying blood to the heart and the rest of the body. As plaque builds up, arteries can narrow and harden, reducing blood flow and eventually cutting off the blood supply to the heart. Smoking, inactivity, obesity, and unhealthy eating habits are all risk factors for coronary artery disease, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include dizziness, weakness, nausea, chest pain, and shortness of breath. RELATED: The Types and Symptoms of Heart Disease
Scientific Studies Have Long Linked Chocolate to Heart Health
Numerous studies over the years have found an association between chocolate and heart health, but the majority of these studies were not designed to prove that chocolate directly prevents heart disease or to show how consuming chocolate directly impacts coronary artery health. One study published more than a decade ago in Circulation, for example, found that regular consumption of cocoa containing flavanols — plant compounds also found in tea, fruits, and vegetables — improved blood vessel health in people with type 2 diabetes, a condition that can lead to impaired blood flow over time. People with diabetes are at an elevated risk for developing heart disease, notes the CDC. More recently, a study published in February 2020 in Circulation Research found drinking cocoa rich in flavanols could ease walking pain associated with peripheral artery disease. And, a study published in 2019 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found chocolate consumption was associated with a slightly lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk was lowered by just 2 percent, however, and was far less pronounced than the risk reduction seen with other foods, such as nuts, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. RELATED: Modest Increase in Fruit, Veggie, Whole Grain Intake Cuts Diabetes Risk
Dark, Bitter, Unprocessed Chocolate Is Healthiest
“Saying chocolate is healthy is reasonable, and some studies have shown cardiovascular as well as other benefits,” says Samantha Heller, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, who wasn’t involved in the current study. But the form in which most Americans consume chocolate lacks many of the potential health benefits of raw, unprocessed cocoa, says Heller. This popular chocolate form is blended with sugar, milk, caramel, preservatives, and processed with alkali that removes many of the salubrious compounds. “The darker, and bitterer, the chocolate, the more healthy compounds remain,” Heller says. Harvard recommends aiming for dark chocolate made from at least 70 percent cacao. Also, go plain: Raw or natural cocoa, made from cacao beans that are fermented, dried, and roasted, doesn’t contain added sugars, fats, or milk products. This type of chocolate or cocoa powder has a bitter flavor. RELATED: Why Dark Chocolate Is a Great Treat to Boost Heart Health and Reduce Stress
The Reason to Avoid ‘Dutch Process’ Cocoa
So-called “Dutch process” cocoa powder is alkalized, or washed in a solution containing potassium carbonate, to remove the bitterness. Non-alkalized chocolate is thought to improve blood flow, increase the supply of nutrients to organs, and promote the growth of new blood vessels to keep oxygen flowing throughout the body, says Mary McDermott, MD, a professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. People who want to eat chocolate with potential heart health benefits need to look closely at what they’re buying to avoid cocoa that’s processed or mixed with ingredients like sugar and fat, says Dr. McDermott, who wasn’t involved in the current study. “Read the label to find out whether the chocolate is non-alkalized,” McDermott says. “In general, most chocolate — particularly milk chocolate — is alkalized and does not have the cardiovascular benefits.” RELATED: 7 Heart-Healthy Perks of Dark Chocolate
title: “Regularly Eating Chocolate Is Linked To An 8 Percent Lower Heart Attack Risk” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-14” author: “Robert Mcknight”
Researchers examined data from six previous studies with a total of 336,289 participants who provided information on their health and eating habits. During a median follow-up of nearly nine years, 14,043 participants developed coronary artery disease and 4,667 had a heart attack. “Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart’s blood vessels healthy,” says the lead study author, Chayakrit Krittanawong, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. This might be because chocolate — particularly the dark variety, per Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health— contains heart-healthy nutrients. Those nutrients include flavonoids, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid which can help reduce inflammation and increase levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol that prevents plaque buildup in the arteries, Dr. Krittanawong and his team write. RELATED: 8 Healthy Reasons to Eat Dark Chocolate
Study Limitations May Mean Chocolate Alone Wasn’t Responsible for Better Heart Health
The study does have several limitations. For starters, it didn’t examine how much chocolate people ate each time they indulged or what type of chocolate they consumed. Fats, milk, or sugar in chocolate products, as well as total calories, could all impact whether this treat is actually a heart-healthy choice, the study authors point out. People with certain health conditions, like obesity or diabetes, might have to be more careful to limit sugars or calories in their diet, including any chocolate they eat, Krittanawong says. Another drawback of the study is that it didn’t account for other foods and beverages the participants consumed, or how much exercise they got. It’s certainly possible that people who ate more chocolate in the study had healthier eating habits or better workout routines that might explain why they were less likely to develop coronary artery disease. “Chocolate appears promising for prevention of coronary artery disease, but more research is needed to pinpoint how much and what kind of chocolate could be recommended,” Krittanawong says. RELATED: 8 Healthy, Delicious Chocolate Bars That Registered Dietitians Recommend
Diet, Exercise Can Help Prevent Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease, is the most common type of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This condition can be a silent killer — people sometimes don’t know they have it until after they have a heart attack. It develops over time when plaque (deposits of cholesterol and other fats and substances) accumulates in the walls of the arteries supplying blood to the heart and the rest of the body. As plaque builds up, arteries can narrow and harden, reducing blood flow and eventually cutting off the blood supply to the heart. Smoking, inactivity, obesity, and unhealthy eating habits are all risk factors for coronary artery disease, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include dizziness, weakness, nausea, chest pain, and shortness of breath. RELATED: The Types and Symptoms of Heart Disease
Scientific Studies Have Long Linked Chocolate to Heart Health
Numerous studies over the years have found an association between chocolate and heart health, but the majority of these studies were not designed to prove that chocolate directly prevents heart disease or to show how consuming chocolate directly impacts coronary artery health. One study published more than a decade ago in Circulation, for example, found that regular consumption of cocoa containing flavanols — plant compounds also found in tea, fruits, and vegetables — improved blood vessel health in people with type 2 diabetes, a condition that can lead to impaired blood flow over time. People with diabetes are at an elevated risk for developing heart disease, notes the CDC. More recently, a study published in February 2020 in Circulation Research found drinking cocoa rich in flavanols could ease walking pain associated with peripheral artery disease. And, a study published in 2019 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found chocolate consumption was associated with a slightly lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk was lowered by just 2 percent, however, and was far less pronounced than the risk reduction seen with other foods, such as nuts, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. RELATED: Modest Increase in Fruit, Veggie, Whole Grain Intake Cuts Diabetes Risk
Dark, Bitter, Unprocessed Chocolate Is Healthiest
“Saying chocolate is healthy is reasonable, and some studies have shown cardiovascular as well as other benefits,” says Samantha Heller, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, who wasn’t involved in the current study. But the form in which most Americans consume chocolate lacks many of the potential health benefits of raw, unprocessed cocoa, says Heller. This popular chocolate form is blended with sugar, milk, caramel, preservatives, and processed with alkali that removes many of the salubrious compounds. “The darker, and bitterer, the chocolate, the more healthy compounds remain,” Heller says. Harvard recommends aiming for dark chocolate made from at least 70 percent cacao. Also, go plain: Raw or natural cocoa, made from cacao beans that are fermented, dried, and roasted, doesn’t contain added sugars, fats, or milk products. This type of chocolate or cocoa powder has a bitter flavor. RELATED: Why Dark Chocolate Is a Great Treat to Boost Heart Health and Reduce Stress
The Reason to Avoid ‘Dutch Process’ Cocoa
So-called “Dutch process” cocoa powder is alkalized, or washed in a solution containing potassium carbonate, to remove the bitterness. Non-alkalized chocolate is thought to improve blood flow, increase the supply of nutrients to organs, and promote the growth of new blood vessels to keep oxygen flowing throughout the body, says Mary McDermott, MD, a professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. People who want to eat chocolate with potential heart health benefits need to look closely at what they’re buying to avoid cocoa that’s processed or mixed with ingredients like sugar and fat, says Dr. McDermott, who wasn’t involved in the current study. “Read the label to find out whether the chocolate is non-alkalized,” McDermott says. “In general, most chocolate — particularly milk chocolate — is alkalized and does not have the cardiovascular benefits.” RELATED: 7 Heart-Healthy Perks of Dark Chocolate
