Dark Chocolate Boosts Antioxidant Levels
Chocolate increases
blood antioxidants but consuming milk at the same time cancels the health
benefits, says a new study from the University of Glasgow.
The speculation
is milk might have the same effect on other antioxidant-rich foods, including
fruit and green vegetables, NewScientist.com reports.
Researchers
in Scotland and Italy looked at the body's absorption of an antioxidant
found in cocoa, called epicatechin. Volunteers were given either plain
chocolate or milk chocolate. Some were also given milk in the double-blind
experiment. Then their antioxidant levels were tested.
"Those volunteers
who had dark chocolate had a 20 percent increase in antioxidants in their
plasma," said Alan Crozier, one of the research team. "But those who had
milk chocolate, or milk with their dark chocolate, showed no increase in
epicatechin plasma levels."
Crozier suggests
it might be advisable to refrain from milk products in combination with
chocolate.
Antioxidants
lower the level of free-radicals in the blood. Prolonged exposure to free-radicals
has been linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
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