The French are always worried about their liver. Maybe it’s because of all the red wine they drink. But they also love their “petit pain au chocolat” for breakfast. That’s puff pastry with a delicious piece of dark chocolate in the middle. If we are to go by a recent study presented at the International Liver Congress, that piece of chocolate may actually reduce the liver concerns.
Dark chocolate is good for you! We’ve heard that before. But it has always been in connection with its antioxidant content. Flavonoids in particular. Antioxidants, the “good stuff” found in many fruits in vegetables, neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive substances generated by our natural breathing process, but also by external sources such as cigarette smoke. Due to their high reactivity, free radicals can kill bacteria, but they can also cause cellular damage and DNA disruption. This type of long term damage means higher risk of disease, including cancer.
We want to make sure that free radical levels stay low in our bodies, therefore the more antioxidants we consume, the better. High-cocoa content in dark chocolate offers that benefit. On the other hand, white chocolate, which basically is mostly fat and sugar, does not contain the highly sought-after antioxidants. Research has shown that regular consumption of dark chocolate can improve heart function and can even lower cholesterol levels. But now we have this Spanish study presented at The International Liver Congress TM 2010 showing that dark chocolate can be good for the liver, too!
The liver is the body’s massive filter organ. It removes toxins and stores vitamins. After a meal, blood flow to the liver increases to allow the newly ingested substances to be processed, thereby augmenting portal blood pressure (blood pressure in the liver). This is inconsequential in healthy people but could be dangerous in those who already have high portal blood pressure, such as people who have cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis is scarring as a result of long-term, continuous damage to the liver, for example from alcoholism or hepatitis. Excessive portal hypertension can accelerate end stage liver disease and increase mortality.
De Gottardi et al showed that the post-prandial (post-meal) liver blood pressure increase is less in patients given a meal rich in dark chocolate compared to those given a meal containing white chocolate. This is far from saying that dark chocolate is a panacea, but we now know more than ever that there is a definite correlation between diet and health. A couple of squares of dark chocolate for dessert is sounding better and better. No need to surround it with butter-filled puff pastry.
By Melody Ko