[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/9611\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFor delicious and possibly nutritious treats, eat chocolate\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor many people with a sweet tooth it would be a dream prescription: take a daily dose of chocolate to be healthy. Alas, it is only a dream for now, but EU-funded research has found that some of the compounds in cocoa, the basic ingredient used to make chocolate, have clear benefits even for healthy people.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe crucial components are flavanols \u2013 a group of bioactive plant constituents found in wine and tea, as well as in apples and pears, and which are most abundant in the cocoa bean.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe three-year FLAVIOLA research project studied cocoa flavanols and found some very positive results, said Dr Christian Heiss, of the cardiology and angiology department at Heinrich Heine University in D\u00fcsseldorf, Germany, which coordinated the biomedical research. \u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018Some cocoa or chocolate for dessert, especially when it is rich in flavanols, can also be part of a healthy diet.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Malte Kelm, scientific director of the FLAVIOLA project.\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We found that flavanols can improve several parameters of cardiovascular health \u2013 even in healthy people,\u2019 he said. \u2018The potential for primary prevention is there.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research consortium included global food manufacturer Mars, which supported FLAVIOLA by analysing samples and by developing and providing a cocoa flavanol-containing test drink as well as a control drink. The control drink was identical to the test drink with the exception that it did not contain flavanols. The medical researchers then compared the two drinks by assessing their respective effect on cardiovascular functions in healthy people, who had no history of heart problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We aimed at developing a nutritionally conscious delivery form for cocoa flavanols, because although chocolate is an enjoyable treat, based on its comparatively high caloric content it cannot easily be recommended in the context of cardiovascular health,\u2019 said Professor Malte Kelm, scientific director of the FLAVIOLA project.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers observed that study participants who consumed the cocoa flavanol-containing drink experienced cardiovascular improvements. These effects could be demonstrated in healthy men and women ranging from 25 to 65 years old.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlood pressure\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results were particularly positive with regard to lowering the blood pressure of older people, reducing some of the age-related stiffness in arteries and blood vessels that even in healthy people gradually means an increase in the effort required by the heart to pump blood around the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We observed that the blood vessels of people on a flavanol-rich diet work better \u2013 they get more flexible and dilate more easily. So their capacity to allow healthy blood flow increases and blood pressure decreases,\u2019 Dr\u0026nbsp;Heiss said. \u2018Flavanol intake seems also to help to maintain other cardiovascular functions that generally decrease with age.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the FLAVIOLA consortium found no direct effect of flavanols on cardiac function, Dr\u0026nbsp;Heiss said that it would be worthwhile studying if the lower blood pressure and improved vascular function could ultimately benefit the heart itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project finished last year, and it\u2019s now up to Mars to decide whether to use the findings to develop a commercial product.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDr Hagen Schroeter, director of fundamental research into flavanols and health at Mars, said FLAVIOLA demonstrated meaningful cardiovascular benefits and safety for the prototype in the study, adding: \u2018We look forward to being able to deliver in the near future consumer-ready cocoa flavanol-containing products that are palatable, nutritionally sound, and that support human health as well as meet all regulatory requirements in Europe.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe outcomes of the FLAVIOLA\u0026nbsp;study also support the value of carrying out a longer, large-scale investigation of patients with heart problems, as the original studies focused on a healthy population in the context of nutrition.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the researchers are convinced of the healthy effects of cocoa flavanols, they are cautious about how to ensure these are consumed in the most beneficial way.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFresh cocoa or cocoa made using flavanol-preserving technologies may contain constituents important for cardiovascular well-being, but these benefits can be lost through traditional cocoa processing, which greatly reduces the flavanol content.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAdding high calorie ingredients such as sugar to make cocoa more palatable also has wider health implications. And simply listing flavanol content in food does not guarantee it is bioactive and that there is enough to have the desired effect.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Recommending that everybody eat a significant amount of chocolate every day is not a nutritionally sound option,\u2019 said Professor Marc Merx, coordinator of the FLAVIOLA project. \u2018Chocolate should be enjoyed as a treat, but not viewed as an optimal daily source of flavanols.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApple skins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFLAVIOLA consortium partners based at the University of Reading, UK, found the major source of flavanols in the normal diet of most Europeans was the skin of apples, and tea. But the average flavanol intake, even in the highest consuming countries, was found to be below the level investigated in most dietary intervention studies to date.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESo the proverb \u2018an apple a day keeps the doctor away\u2019 has not been displaced quite yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The flavanol-rich diet is still under development,\u2019 said Prof. Kelm. \u2018Until new cocoa flavanol-containing products are available in stores, I guess the best current recommendation would be to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and to drink a couple of cups of tea. And some cocoa or chocolate for dessert, especially when it is rich in flavanols, can also be part of a healthy diet.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/research-and-innovation\/en\/horizon-magazine\/could-chocolate-day-help-keep-doctor-away\u0022\u003Efirst appeared in Horizon Magazine\u003C\/a\u003E in April 2014\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-7psgpisehuj-eqhldd3tojnsb-nglzmwhxiaty4fcsa\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-7PSGPISehuJ-EqhLDd3tojnsB-NGlzMwhxIaTy4fcSA\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]