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The Surprising Effect of Eating Chocolate, New Study Suggests. Your heart will thank you.

 


Researchers find that supplementing people's diets with cocoa extract is linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease. This is good news for chocolate lovers. So for more details, read on.


Part 1. Vocabulary

supplementing   /ˈsəpləˌment,ˈsəpləmənt/  v. gerund or present participle

                           add an extra element or amount to;

                            

ex. Bread will be supplementing our need for rice or                     carbohydrates.

 

extract                /ikˈstrakt/ n

a preparation containing the active ingredient of a substance in concentrated form;

 

ex. To make the cake delicious, add vanilla extract.

 

reduce                /rəˈd(y)o͞os/ v    

                           make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size;

                            

ex. We have to reduce the number of people so that the lace will not be crowded.

 

cognitive             /ˈkäɡnədiv/ adj.

relating to cognition, the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding;

 

ex. There are many activities that can help the cognitive development of young children.

 

implications        /ˌimpləˈkāSH(ə)n/ n. (plural form)

                            the action or state of being involved in something;

 ex. Bad actions are implications of bad behavior.

 

 Part 2. Comprehension Questions

What chocolate is good for your health?

What was found as a supplement that is linked to a lower risk of dying from heart diseases?

What is the compound found in the cocoa powder?

Where else can flavonols be found?

What are the benefits of eating dark chocolates?

 

Part 3. Article Reading

 

You may think of chocolate as "unhealthy" food, but dark chocolate can actually have benefits for everything from your mood to your skin. While eating a bar of caramel-filled milk chocolate every day is probably not the most nutritious choice, having a couple of squares of dark chocolate can be just what the doctor ordered, as it were. Now, a new study finds that supplementing people's diets with cocoa extract is linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease.

 

In the study, published earlier this month in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers examined more than 20,000 U.S. adults ages 60 and up, following up after several years, supplementing some participants' diets with the cocoa extract. Those who received the supplement were significantly less likely to die of cardiovascular disease.

 

"We found that cocoa flavanol supplementation may reduce clinical cardiovascular events, including a statistically significant 27% reduction in… cardiovascular disease (CVD) death," study author Howard D. Sesso, ScD, MPH, tells Eat This, Not That!.

 

Flavanols are compounds found in cocoa powder, chocolate, and other foods, and they have been linked with a range of health benefits. A 2014 study on cocoa flavanols, also published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that they could play a role in protecting you from cognitive decline as you age.

 

Additionally, a 2005 study published in the American Heart Association's Hypertension journal found evidence that flavanols from chocolate can reduce blood pressure.

 

One major point to flag in this most recent study is that researchers received grants from Mars, Incorporated, the company that owns M&M'S, Snickers, Twix, Dove, and more. Mars provided the study pills and packaging. However, the implications of the study extend beyond just chocolate products.

 

"Flavanols are not only found in the cocoa bean, but also in berries, tea, and grapes, among other fruits and vegetables that remain a critical part of a healthy diet for overall health," Sesso says. "[This] was not a chocolate trial, but rather a trial testing a cocoa extract supplement."

 

He added that understanding exactly how cocoa flavanols affect cardiovascular health "requires additional research." Still, given the proven health benefits of dark chocolate, you may as well pick up a bar on your next trip to the grocery store, especially if you enjoy the taste. For more on how your favorite candy could be affecting your body, check out the Side Effects of Eating Chocolate, According to Science.

 

Source: By Clara Olshansky, March 27, 2022.  https://www.eatthis.com

 

Source: By Clara Olshansky, March 27, 2022.  https://www.eatthis.com

 

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