Chocolate Antioxidants Powered by PolyphenolsWhere do chocolate antioxidants get their power? From polyphenols found in the cocoa bean. They're the chemical compounds that provide the antioxidant action everyone is so excited about. Why all the excitement? Because they help fend off two of the scourges of womankind...aging and disease. And cocoa is teeming with them. Especially flavonols, the most plentiful of the polyphenols found in the bean. It's those fabulous flavanols that fight those feisty free radicals. Confused? Try to wrap your head around this.
PolyphenolsSo what are polyphenols exactly? Phytochemicals or phytonutrients. And they are? Chemical compounds found in plants that are good for human health.Cocoa beans contain a lot of polyphenols. Unfortunately, many of them are destroyed during processing. But dark chocolate is still a rich source. An ounce and a half serving of dark chocolate contains 400-800 mg of the phytonutrients. The most abundant polyphenols in cocoa are the flavanols epicatechin and catechin. What do they do for you? They're credited with bringing the benefits. Well, at least some of the health benefits attributed to chocolate.
Health BenefitsThese flavanols also fight free radical damage. That damage can increase your risk of developing heart and other diseases.Chocolate just may reduce your chances of developing one of these major health problems. How? Epicatechin, according to Harvard Professor Hollenberg, decreases the likleyhood of cardiac failure, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Catechin fights hardening of the arteries, reduces blood pressure, and fights LDL cholesterol. Research on chocolate indicates that a steady diet of cocoa flavanols might reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Aiming for good health? Antioxidants can help you hit the bull's eye!
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