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1. In the journals: Heart failure risk is lower in women who regularly eat modest amounts of chocolate......... 1

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In the journals: Heart failure risk is lower in women who regularly eat modest amounts of chocolate
Publication info: Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Women's Health Watch (Mar 2011). ProQuest document link Abstract: An observational study of 31,000 older women in Sweden found that those who ate one to two servings a week of chocolate had a lower risk of heart failure. Full text: In the journals Heart failure risk is lower in women who regularly eat modest amounts of chocolate High-quality chocolate may lower the risk of heart failure in middle-aged and older women when eaten once or twice a week -- but not when eaten more than that. That's the conclusion of a study published online, Aug. 16, 2010, in Circulation: Heart Failure. Cocoa beans are rich in flavonoids -- plant chemicals known to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels and coronary artery function. Cocoa and dark chocolate are already associated with a reduced risk for heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease. The study. Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Sweden's Karolinska Institute followed 31,823 Swedish women ages 48 to 83 for nine years, tracking their chocolate intake with food questionnaires completed as part of the Swedish Mammography Cohort study. At the start of the study, none of the women had a history of diabetes, heart failure, or heart attack. According to the authors, most chocolate then consumed in Sweden had 30% cocoa solids -- more than is typically found in chocolate in the United States. The average serving size ranged from 20 to 30 grams (about three-quarters to one full ounce). The results. Women who averaged one to three servings of chocolate a month had a 26% lower risk for heart failure than women who didn't eat chocolate. For those who ate one to two servings per week, the risk was 32% lower. But women who ate three or more servings per week got no benefit -- perhaps because of the added calories. Limitations and implications. This was an observational study and not a clinical trial, so it can't prove cause and effect. Also, food questionnaires are notably imprecise measures of food intake. But the results are consistent with smaller randomized trials showing that flavonoid-rich chocolate lowers blood pressure (a major risk factor for heart failure). While the news about chocolate is encouraging, it's no license to go wild. As this study suggests, a little chocolate is enough. Look for products that have a higher percentage of cocoa solids (and thus flavonoids). These include dark chocolate (preferably with a 30% or higher cocoa solids content). White chocolate contains no cocoa solids. Subject: Heart failure; Chocolate; Blood pressure; Cocoa; Location: Sweden Publication title: Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Women's Health Watch Publication year: 2011 Publication date: Mar 2011 Year: 2011 Publisher: Belvoir Media Group, LLC Place of publication: Boston Country of publication: United States

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Publication subject: Medical Sciences--Obstetrics And Gynecology, Women'S Interests ISSN: 1070910X Source type: Magazines Language of publication: English Document type: Journal Article ProQuest document ID: 1370744264 Document URL: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1370744264?accountid=50673 Copyright: Copyright 2013 by Harvard University. All rights reserved. HHP/HMS content licensing handled by Belvoir Media Group. Last updated: 2013-06-24 Database: ProQuest Medical Library

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